Enantiodiscrimination of methamphetamine by circular dichroism using a porphyrin tweezer

Using exciton‐coupled circular dichroism (ECCD) spectroscopy, our lab was able to differentiate between the two enantiomers of methamphetamine using a commercially available porphyrin tweezer as an achiral host. The host–guest complex formed with (+)‐(S)‐methamphetamine produced a negative bisignate‐shaped ECCD spectrum, whereas the complex formed with (?)‐(R)‐methamphetamine produced a positive one. This sensitive technique could serve as an alternative method for the enantiodiscrimination of chiral methamphetamine, a commonly abused drug in the United States. Chirality 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.