Rheological studies of very high molecular weight poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) solutions have revealed three distinct types of anomalous behavior. These are interpreted, at low rates, as being due to the formation of topological adsorption-entanglement layers; at intermediate rates, to the nucleation by adsorption-entanglement layers of a flow-induced liquid-liquid phase separation; and at high rates, to a spontaneous liquid-liquid phase separation. An attempt has been made to construct the phase diagram for the binary system PMMA-dimethyl phthalate by using shear stress, as well as temperature and solution concentration, as thermodynamic variables. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.