Methylated β-cyclodextrin (me-β-CD) was used to form water-soluble host/guest complexes with the hydrophobic monomers n-butyl methacrylate (1), cyclohexyl methacrylate (2), isobornyl acrylate (3), isobornyl methacrylate (4), and styrene (5), respectively. The free-radical copolymerizations of the water-soluble N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) with these complexed monomers were carried out in water at different molar ratios.

The synthesis of a liquid-crystalline vinycyclopropane, 1-ethoxycarbonyl-1-[5-(cholesteryloxycarbonyl)pentoxycarbonyl]-2-vinylcyclopropane (4), and its polymerization is described. The polymerization of 4 was carried out in toluene as solvent and with AIBN as free radical initiator at 708C. The obtained polymer also showed liquidcrystalline behavior similar to that of the monomer 4.