This article deals with the polymerization of the cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs) 2‐methylene‐4‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxolane (2), 2‐methylene‐4‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxane (3), 4,7‐dimethyl‐2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxepane (4), 2‐ethylidene‐4‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxolane (5), 2‐phenylmethylene‐1,3‐dioxolane (6), and 2‐isopropylidene‐4‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxolane (7) in the presence of cyanoallene (1). For 2 and 3, the homopolymerization of the CKAs proceeded without ring opening, and the number‐average molecular weights of the obtained polymers depended on the feed ratio of 1. However, the reactions of 1 with 4–7 afforded no polymers but did afford spirocyclic 1 : 1 adducts possessing cyclobutane rings. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2075–2081, 2000