Carbohydrate-functional siloxanes (CHFSs) that exhibit high intermolecular interactions and good environmental friendliness have successfully been synthesized by acid-catalyzed transacetalation between an acetal-functional siloxane and glucose in dimethylformamide/dioxane mixed solvents. Activated clay has proven to be a good catalyst because of its high activity and its easy removal from the product. Acetal-functional siloxanes as starting materials can be easily synthesized in good yields by hydrosilylation between Si-H-functional siloxanes and acrolein diethyl acetal. This method has the following advantages: (1) the inexpensive materials used, (2) the simplified process employed, and (3) the high yield achieved. Because the carbohydrate moieties in these materials have the nature of strong intermolecular interactions and are highly hydrophilic, CHFSs exhibit very high bulk viscosities in comparison with the corresponding acetal-functional siloxanes and good solubilities in polar solvents such as dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.