Cyclodextrin effects on the photochromism of spiropyrans/β-cyclodextrin inclusion polymers

► β-cyclodextrin polymer preserves the photochromism of spiropyrans in a solid phase. ► The inclusion geometries and the stabilities of the complexes are obtained. ► The dominant intermolecular forces responsible for the binding energy are reported. ► Structure and interaction effects change the absorption wavelengths of spiropyrans. ► β-Cyclodextrin behaves differently for closed- and open-form spiropyrans.