The solid-state supramolecular complexation of fullerenes C60 and C70, as well as some derivatives of C-4 was attained with y-cyclodextrin by the use of a mechanochemical high-speed vibration milling technique. Similarly C-4 and the fullerene dimer C120 were complexed with sulfocalix[8]arene. The complexes produced were found to be soluble in water, and their solubility was examined by UV-vis spectroscopy. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 1999.