Optically active roof-shape amines were prepared and scanned as chiral solvating agents to study molecular recognition of acids by NMR analysis. Three types of amines were studied to establish a match-mismatch effect for structurally diverse acid analytes. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was performed on the diastereomeric salts of roof-shape amines and both isomers of mandelic acid to establish molecular conformation and correlate the absolute configuration with the observed NMR shift. The present system also recognizes the two isomers of weakly acidic BINOL and its derivatives.