Novel bisurea host compounds

New host molecules, 4,4′-bis(dimethylamino-urea)diphenylmethane (1) and its derivatives (2 and 3), are reported. These hosts are shown to give inclusion complex crystals with a wide variety of organic guest molecules with high selectivity. The crystal structure of 1:2 inclusion complex of 1 with THF has been determined from X-ray crystal structure analysis. The cyclic N-H...O intermolecular hydrogen bonds between host molecules were found to form columns for accommodation of the guest molecules.