Cryptands are macrobicyclic, macrotricyclic, etc. compounds generally having nitrogen atoms at the bridgehead positions, having sufficient space within its cage structure for polydentate ligation to metal ions or other cationic species; the resulting complexes are called cryptates. E. Weber and F. Vögtle, Inorg. Chim. Acta, 45, L65-L67 (1980).
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