We decided to investigate the role CH⋯anion hydrogen bonds 7 play in stabilising the anion complexes in solution by synthesising a series of receptors containing either no NH hydrogen bond donors or a combination of NH and CH donors and to compare the affinity of these complexes for anions. Compound 2 offers the putative anionic guest a choice of hydrogen bond donor (NH or CH) as the pyrrole is free to rotate around the pyrrole–pyridine bond without ...