Attogram “Meth” Detection Enabled by Selective Organic Crystal Disaggregation via Directed Crystal Level Interactions

In
this contribution, completely different from traditional probes
based on molecular host–guest interaction, crystal level interaction
was proposed as an ultrasensitive design strategy for molecule detection.
In such a strategy, crystal–guest interaction triggered rapid
crystal disaggregation to gain great signal change, far more efficient
than molecule scale coupling. Highly ordered pyrene methanol (PM)
crystal was self-assembled with hydrogen bond chain and π–π
stacking force. Its {011} surface can be destabilized by methamphetamine
hydrochlorate (MA, heavily used illicit drug) selectively and efficiently.
The detection limit was improved to an amazing attogram level (5.4
ag/mL, 29.1 fM), 9 orders of magnitude lower than the best reported
host–guest result.