The new rhenium(I) bipyridine crown ether receptors 1-4 have been prepared and their ion pair recognitionproperties examined. The crystal structure of [1·KCl]2·2H2O demonstrates that potassium is coordinated by benzo-18-crown-6 and chloride is hydrogen bonded to the amide groups. Receptor 3 extracts solid KCl and KOAc intochloroform via ion pair complexation. NMR and emission titration studies with receptors 1-4 and KCl/KOAcshow that cobound potassium enhances anion binding strength by electrostatic and conformational effects.Significant cooperative interactions are observed between the anion and cation sites for host 4 in CH3CN. Thismolecule coordinates potassium to form a 1:1 intramolecular sandwich complex, which preorganizes the host foracetate binding.