Abstract: | Methylated β‐cyclodextrin (Me‐β‐CD) was used to complex a free‐radical photoinitiator, 2‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl‐1‐phenylpropan‐1‐one ( 1 ), yielding the water‐soluble 1 : 1 host/guest complex 1 a . The structure of complex 1 a was verified by means of IR, UV/vis and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The influence of Me‐β‐CD as the host on the photopolymerization kinetics of N‐isopropylacrylamide was studied. Compared to the photopolymerization carried out under nearly identical conditions but without cyclodextrin, an increase in the polymerization rate was registered in the presence of complex 1 a . |