2,6-Bis(2-benzimidazolyl)pyridine receptor for urea recognition

The use of 2,6-bis(2-benzimidazolyl)pyridine as a neutral receptor enables the formation of highly stable supramolecular complexes with urea via self-assembly and which were characterized by spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. This receptor utilizes the imine nitrogen located on its outer core in addition to the cavity to form hydrogen-bonded adducts with high binding affinity, thus providing a unique design for chemical and biological recognition.