AbstractRing‐opening metathesis polymerization has been used to prepare a series of water soluble polymers based on the Diels‐Alder adducts of furan and cyclopentadiene. Hydrophobically modified forms of these polymers were obtained either by copolymerization with 5‐decylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐2‐ene, post‐polymerization modification of the acid forms of the polymers with 1‐decylamine or chain transfer to 1‐hexadecene. Polymers were characterized by NMR specroscopy and viscometry.