Abstract A new flexible anthracene linked benzimidazolium-based receptor 1 has been designed, synthesized and its binding properties have been studied by NMR, UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. While the receptor 1 exhibits a greater change in emission in the presence of tetrabutylammonium dihydrogenphosphate in CH 3 CN over the other anions studied, iodide is selectively preferred in CHCl 3 containing 0.1% CH 3 CN. ...