Also used to describe the
lattice of
water molecules that surround an ion or non
polar species in
solution. Since water
hydrogen bonds to form
networks, cages can appear around atoms that do not make bonds with the water. These structures are
dynamic, however, since the bonding between H|||O changes rapidly at room temperature (millions to billions of times a second). Relative to bulk solution, the clathrate is stabilised by the guest it encloses but it still much less stable than, say,
ice. Not to be confused with
clathrin, which also forms cage complexes.