A new family of cycloaliphatic fused‐ring acrylic polymers based on 8‐hydroxymethyltricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]decane (TCD) has been synthesized by free‐radical polymerization. TCD‐methacrylate (TCD‐MA) was synthesized by reacting TCD with methacrylic acid in toluene via transesterification with p‐toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. TCDMA was polymerized in toluene with benzoyl peroxide as a free‐radical initiator at 80 °C. Copolymers were synthesized by polymerizing TCDMA with styrene and methyl methacrylate. The composition of the comonomers was varied from 0 to 100%. Homo‐ and copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and 13C NMR spectroscopy. Molecular weight determination by gel permeation chromatography showed that the polymers were obtained in very high molecular weights in the range of Mn > 50,000 and Mw > 80,000 with relatively low polydispersity. The composition analysis of both the copolymer series were determined by 1H NMR. The thermal properties of the homo‐ and copolymers were studied with differential scanning calorimetry and all the polymers were found to be amorphous. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5617–5626, 2004