The cryptand 4,7,10,16,.5]tricosane (3.1.1, I) has been synthesized, the crystal structure of the triaquo-hydrochloride salt has been determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography and the 1 H-and 13 C-NMR chemical shifts have been assigned for the protonated ligand. [(C 16 H 33 N 2 O 5 )Á(H 2 O) 3 ]Cl, (I), is triclinic with space group P " 1 and cell constants: a = 9.957(3) Å , b = 10.557(5) Å , c = 11.324(3) Å , a = 95.917(8)°, b = 105.574(8)°, c = 107.506(9)°, V = 1071.4(3) Å 3 and Z = 2.In the solid state the cryptand is monoprotonated and holds a water molecule near the central cavity using the hydrogen bonds N13-H13 to O1S, O1S-H1S2 to N1 and O1S-H1S1 to ether oxygen atom O7. Pairs of cryptand molecules are linked by a hydrogen bond network, (O21ÁÁÁ H2S2-O2S-H2S1ÁÁÁCl1) 2 (l-H3S1-O3S-H3S2) 2 , that interacts with an ether oxygen (O21, O21A) in each ligand molecule.