Clathrate compound

A host–guest solid in which molecules or ions occupy cavities in a crystalline host lattice without ordinary chemical bonds between host and guest.

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Host–guest chemistry: Chemistry involving a host molecule or structure that binds or contains a distinct guest species. Clathrates are crystalline host–guest systems whose guests occupy lattice cavities.
Inclusion compound: A compound in which one chemical species is enclosed within cavities or channels of another. Clathrates are inclusion compounds distinguished by guests enclosed in host-lattice cavities.
Gas hydrate: A crystalline water-based clathrate that encloses gas molecules, commonly methane. Gas hydrates are a major clathrate family with consequences for energy and climate.
Clathrate hydrate: A clathrate in which water molecules form the host framework around guest molecules. Water-based frameworks are the best-known clathrate solids and include natural gas hydrates.
Cage compound: A molecule or solid structure whose framework encloses one or more internal cavities. Clathrate hosts create cage-like cavities that can retain guest species.
Hydrogen bond: An attractive interaction involving hydrogen bonded to an electronegative atom and another electron-rich atom. Clathrate guests are generally retained without the specific directional bonding that defines hydrogen bonds.
Methane hydrate: A water-ice-like crystalline solid containing methane molecules in cavities formed by water molecules. It is a prominent natural clathrate and a potential, technically difficult energy resource.
Zeolite: A microporous crystalline aluminosilicate with regular channels and cavities that can host ions or molecules. Zeolites also contain guests in crystalline pores, but their hosts have bonded frameworks and accessible channels.
Van der Waals force: An intermolecular attraction arising from electrostatic interactions between atoms or molecules. These weak attractions commonly stabilize guests inside clathrate cavities.
Covalent bond: A chemical bond formed when atoms share electron pairs. The defining host–guest relation in a clathrate does not rely on covalent bonds.