Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing cucurbiturils. The method comprises reacting an oligomer consisting of 2 to 11 linked glycolurils or glycoluril analogues with one or more compounds selected from glycoluril, glycoluril analogues and/or oligomers of glycoluril or glycoluril analogues, in the presence of an acid, to form a cucurbituril. The method can be used to prepare variably substituted cucurbiturils having specific substituted units at specific locations in the cucurbituril. The invention also provides cucurbiturils prepared by the method of the invention. The invention further provides novel cucurbiturils.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method of binding a gas or volatile compound in a cucurbituril, by contacting the gas or volatile compound with the cucurbituril to form a cucurbituril-gas/volatile complex. There is also provided a method of separating a gas or volatile compound from a mixture of compounds wherein the mixture is contacted with a cucurbituril and whereby at least some of the gas or volatile compound is bound to the cucurbituril to form a cucurbituril complex, followed by the release of at least some of the bound gas or volatile compound from that complex. The present invention is thus advantageous in that it allows use of cucurbiturils in binding gases and volatile compounds for storage, safety, delivery or other uses, such as the trapping of an unpleasant or toxic gas or volatile compound.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method of binding a gas or volatile compound in a cucurbituril, by contacting the gas or volatile compound with the cucurbituril to form a cucurbituril-gas/volatile complex. There is also provided a method of separating a gas or volatile compound from a mixture of compounds wherein the mixture is contacted with a cucurbituril and whereby at least some of the gas or volatile compound is bound to the cucurbituril to form a cucurbituril complex, followed by the release of at least some of the bound gas or volatile compound from that complex. The present invention is thus advantageous in that it allows use of cucurbiturils in binding gases and volatile compounds for storage, safety, delivery or other uses, such as the trapping of an unpleasant or toxic gas or volatile compound.