The systematic chemical modification of cyclodextrins (CDs) provides an opportunity to create new substances with novel phase transfer, guesthost, solubility, and network properties. Such materials have several potential applications in polymer science, including free-volume modifiers, stabilizers or compatibilizers, and scaffolds or templates for synthesizing new materials. In this study, we describe simple, inexpensive, and easy purification one-pot methods to selectively functionalize CD rings with short- and long-chain alkyl derivatives of varying polarity. Using bifunctional reagents in the same reaction scheme yields CD-based polymer networks. Particular attention is devoted to solution and solid-state NMR experiments that reveal the type and extent of functionalization, which may be used to control solubility and swelling. Alkyl chain functionalization may be expressed as the average number of CH2 units attached per CD ring, the magnitude of which can reach at least 16 and the product still be water soluble, but products become insoluble in water at a value of 32. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012