Novel arene-ruthenium [2+2] metalla-rectangles, 4 and 5, were synthesized by the self-assembly approach using a dipyridyl amide ligand (3) and arene-ruthenium acceptors (arene: benzoquinone (1); naphthacenedione (2)), and characterized by NMR and ESI-MS. The solid-state structure of 5 determined by X-ray diffraction shows the encapsulated diethyl ether molecules in the rectangular cavity of 5. The luminescent 5 was further utilized for anion sensing where the amidic linkage serves as a hydrogen bond donor site for anions, and the ruthenium moiety serves as a signaling unit. A UV-vis titration study demonstrates that, while 5 interacts very weakly with the common mono anions as well as flexible dicarboxylate anions such as malonate and succinate, it displays significant binding affinity (K > 103 in MeOH) for the rigid multi-carboxylate anions such as oxalate, citrate, and tartrate in a 1:1 fashion. It is suggested that the 1:1 bidentate hydrogen bonding assisted by the proper geometrical complementarities is mainly responsible for the increased affinity of 5 towards such anions. In particular, a fluorescence titration study reveals a large fluorescence enhancement of 5 upon binding with multi-carboxylate anions. This indicates that the fluorescence enhancement is attributed to the blocking of the photo-induced electron transfer process from the arene-Ru moiety to the amidic donor in 5 as a result of hydrogen bonding between the donor and the anion.