Pentafluorophenyl-substituted tripodal amine L, tris[[(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl) amino] ethyl] amine, is becoming a potential receptor for encapsulation of Cl- and Br- within the pseudo-C-3-symmetric tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (L1) cavity upon protonation of the secondary amines. H-1 NMR titration results indicate that [H3L](3+) binds with Cl- and Br- strongly compared to the [H3L2] 3+ receptor, where L-2 is N, N', N"- tris[(2-benzylamino) ethyl]amine.