This review covers the important advances in the field of cucurbit[ n ]uril-based mechanically interlocked molecules over the past two decades.

Since the first example of substituted cucurbit[n]urils (Q[n]), decamethylcucurbit[5]uril (Me₁₀Q[5]), was reported in 1992, numerous substituted Q[n]s have been synthesized and studied. In this review article, we focus on the recognition properties of the substituted Q[n]s toward a variety of organic species as well as the coordination chemistry of substituted Q[n]s with different metal ions, including alkali/alkaline-earth metals, transition metals, and lanthanides. Applications of substituted Q[n]s, and the self-assembly processes affording mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) are also described. The main purpose of this review is to highlight important advances in the blossoming field of substituted Q[n]s, which will likely be of interest to researchers in supramolecular chemistry.

In this review, some useful ideas and strategies are presented on how to construct guest@Q[ n ]-based supramolecular frameworks.