Regioselective acetylation of 4-t-butyleyelohexanol (1) in the presence of P-CD, DMbeta-CD. HPbeta-CD and beta-CD-polymer was carried out with 10-20 times excess acetic anhydride. At 1: 10 ratio I and acetic anhydride, the control showed good amount of conversion (99.0%) to 4-t-butylcyclohexyl acetate (II) with a trans/cis ratio of 3.48 with very little unreacted alcohols present (trans/cis ratio 2.5). With increase in concentration of P-CD, although the ester yield was less than the control, the trans/cis ratio increased steadily from 3.46 for 1:0.1 (yield 57.7%) to 5.49 for 1:1 eq.(yield 74.4%) of I to beta-CD. However. the trans ester yield was comparable to the control (76.9%) in the presence of 1 eq. of beta-CD. The results indicated selectivity in esterification between the trans and cis alcohols due to inclusion inside beta-CD cavity. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.