Excimer-to-monomer switching in a pyrene HOF for discriminative neurotransmitter sensing

A pyrene-based HOF (PFC-1) enables excimer-to-monomer switching that affords the first ratiometric fluorescence discrimination of four similar monoamine neurotransmitters (5-HT, NE, Adr, DA). PFC-1 shows rapid response and high sensitivity, including a 36 nM LOD for 5-HT, and can be integrated into a smartphone platform for portable, point-of-care detection.