Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) and ethylene glycol methacrylate 4-vinyl benzoate (EGMAVB) were shown to form 1:1 inclusion complexes with cyclodextrin and were characterized by instrumental techniques. Computational analysis showed that the bent conformation of the included divinyl monomer was more stable than its linear conformation. Complexation of the divinyl monomer with the first CD molecule offered substantial stabilization than with the second CD molecule. The vinyl group included in the CD cavity did not participate in polymerization. As a result, solvent soluble, linear polymers with pendant vinyl unsaturation per repeat unit were obtained. This was unequivocally established by the polymerization of a complex comprising CD and EGMAVB. The unreacted vinyl group can be polymerized in the subsequent step to yield cross-linked products.

Trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) formed a 1:2 inclusion complex (IC) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). Polymerization of the complex resulted in a soluble, linear polymer containing two pendant unsaturations per repeat unit since the methacryloyl groups included in the β-CD cavity did not react with the growing radical chain. Trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) formed a 1:1 complex with β-CD. Yet a soluble polymer containing two pendant unsaturations per repeat unit was obtained. Computational analysis confirmed that in TMPTA hydrogen bonding between C-H‚‚‚OdC brings two acryloyl groups in close vicinity of one another. As a result, both acryloyl groups were included in the same β-CD cavity. Trimethylolpropane diacrylate 4-vinylbenzoate (TMPDAVB) once again formed 1:2 IC as a result of disruption of hydrogen bonds between two acryloyl groups. The study highlights that an understanding of the composition of the IC is more important than its stoichiometry alone.