Phenanthroline unit as a building block for carbohydrate receptors.

An acyclic receptor 1, containing phenanthroline- and aminopyridine-based recognition sites, has been established as a powerful carbohydrate receptor. Compared to the previously described acyclic receptors, compound 1 shows significantly higher binding affinities as well as selectivities, which are quite different from those of the earlier systems. The phenanthroline unit has been established as a valuable building block for the construction of effective and selective carbohydrate receptors.