Recognition of a dicarboxylic acid with dipicolyl urea in solution and in solid phases: intramolecular hydrogen bond inhibiting both pyridine nitrogens from binding carboxyl groups

Recognition of a dicarboxylic acid in solution as well as in the solid phase by the pyridyl urea based pseudoditopic receptor 1 has been studied. The X-ray structures of both the receptor and its complex with 1,4-phenylenediacetic acid are also presented. Intramolecular hydrogen bonding inhibits both the pyridine ring nitrogens from forming hydrogen bonds with the carboxyl group and force the receptor to behave in a monotopic manner, using the syn urea amide moiety to bind carboxyl group of a dicarboxylic acid to form a 2:1 complex. Binding of receptor 1 with a monocarboxylic acid is also compared.