Podands are the open chain ligands with pendant coordinating sites having potential donor atoms such as oxygen and nitrogen. These acyclic multidentate ligands possess a good capability of forming host- guest complexes. Podands unlike their macrocyclic analogues, do not have well-defined preorganised cavities but encapsulate the suitable cation due to flexible behaviour of the pendant binding sites. During complex formation, podands undergo conformational changes due to their high degree of flexibility.