Complexes between members of a homologous series of alkylparabens and b-cyclodextrin (b-CD) have been prepared by both kneading and co-precipitation methods and their behaviour studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric (TG), infrared (IR) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) techniques. PXRD revealed that complexation did occur by both the kneading and co-precipitation methods. DSC and IR techniques confirmed these results and TG indicated the presence and number of water molecules in each complex.