Dehydration kinetics of neotame monohydrate

An Evaluation of Wet Granulation Process Selection for API Prone to Polymorphic Form Conversion in the Presence of Moisture and Heat

PURPOSE

Wet granulation (WG) is one of the most versatile processes to improve blend properties for processing. However, due to its need for moisture and heat, it is often considered not amenable to active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) prone to forming hydrates. Despite this claim, little literature exists evaluating the extent to which polymorphic form conversions occur for such API when processed with WG. This work sets out to explore two common WG methods, high-shear (HSG) and fluid-bed (FBG), and two drying processes, tray-drying (TD) and fluid-bed drying (FBD), and evaluate the risk they pose to hydrate form conversion.

METHODS

The progression of anhydrous to hydrate form conversion of two model compounds with vastly different solubilities, fexofenadine hydrochloride and carbamazepine, was monitored throughout the various processes using powder X-ray diffraction. The resultant granules were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, BET adsorption, and sieve analysis.

RESULTS

FBG and FBD processing resulted in the preservation of the original form of both APIs, while HSG+TD resulted in the complete conversion of the API. The FBD of fexofenadine and carbamazepine granules prepared with HSG resulted in partial and complete re-conversion back to the original anhydrous forms, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The drying process is a critical factor in anhydrous form conservation. FBG and FBD yielded better preservation of the initial anhydrous forms. HSG could be an acceptable granulation method for API susceptible to hydrate formation if the API solubility is low. Selecting an FBG+FBD process minimizes API hydrate formation and preserves the original anhydrous form.

Dehydration Study of Piracetam Co-Crystal Hydrates

A hydrate of co-crystal of piracetam and 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid was obtained via crystallization from water. Single-crystal X-ray data show that piracetam/3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid tetrahydrate (P35TH) crystallizes in the triclinic system with a P1 space group. The physicochemical properties of co-crystal hydrate were characterized using powder X-ray diffractometry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and FTIR spectroscopy. The dehydration kinetics of P35TH was monitored at various temperatures and heating rates by DSC and TGA. Activation energy of P35TH dehydration was obtained using temperature ramp DSC, isothermal and nonisothermal TGA methods. Kinetic analysis of isothermal TGA data was fitted to various solid-state reaction models. Mechanistic models derived from isothermal dehydration kinetic data are best described as a 2-dimensional diffusion mechanism. A correlation was noted between the dehydration behavior and the bonding environment of the water molecules in the crystal structure. This study is a good demonstration of complexity of co-crystal hydrate and their dehydration behavior.

Role of moisture on the physical stability of polymorphic olanzapine

The focus of this study was the understanding of the hydrate transformations of anhydrous olanzapine Forms I and II (the most common polymorphs) upon exposure to different moisture conditions (11, 53, 75, 93% RH) and direct contact with water (e.g. aqueous slurry) and the impact of hydration on the aqueous dissolution rates of the polymorphs. The kinetics of reversible transformations (anhydrate-hydrate phases) and the identification of polymorphs were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, infrared (DRIFT) and X-ray powder diffraction. The results showed that anhydrous Forms I and II have undergone water vapor phase induced transformations at 93% and 75% RH, respectively. At 93% RH Forms I and II showed to hydrate into dihydrates D and B, respectively, the latter with a higher hydration rate. The conversion of Form I into the dihydrate D showed to affect the dissolution rate of olanzapine (f2<50). As slurries both forms showed to hydrate into a mixture of two different Forms - dihydrate B and higher hydrate. The study provided an understanding of the conversion pathways of the different forms when they were exposed to humid air or aqueous environments, resembling the transformations that might occur during processing, storage or during the persecution of dissolution tests to assess the quality of dosage forms delivering olanzapine.

Virtual hydrate screening and coformer selection for improved relative humidity stability

The descriptors were determined, which can be most efficiently applied to virtual screening in order to provide answers to the following questions: 1) what is the propensity to form a solid state hydrate of a pharmaceutical compound, and 2) which coformer would provide for the highest stability with respect to relative humidity conditions?

Integrated approach to study the dehydration kinetics of nitrofurantoin monohydrate

There is a need for thorough knowledge of solid-state transformations in order to implement quality by design (QbD) methodology in drug development. The present study was aimed at gaining a mechanistic understanding of the dehydration of nitrofurantoin monohydrate II (NF-MH). The dehydration was studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), hot-stage microscopy (HSM), and variable temperature X-ray powder diffraction (VT-XRPD). Isothermal TGA data were used to study dehydration kinetics using model-fitting and model-free approaches. Model-fitting analysis indicated a good fit for several models derived from nucleation-growth and/or geometric contraction mechanisms. However, based on visual observations during HSM, Avrami-Erofeyev equations A3 and A4, indicating nucleation-growth phenomenon, were found to be the most suitable kinetic models. HSM showed initiation of dehydration with random nucleation, and nuclei coalesced with the progress of dehydration reaction. VT-XRPD revealed formation of anhydrate beta form on dehydration of NF-MH. The phenomenon of random nucleation is justified based on the crystal structure of NF-MH, which showed presence of water molecules in an isolated manner, prohibiting directional dehydration. It was found that supplementary information from HSM and VT-XRPD can be valuable to gain a better understanding of dehydration from formal solid-state kinetics analysis.

Fluorescence studies of the dehydration of cefadroxil monohydrate

Although cefadroxil does not exhibit the phenomenon of photoluminescence when dissolved in a fluid medium, the compound has been found to exhibit fluorescence in its solid-state monohydrate crystal form. The monohydrate was found to exhibit complicated photoluminescence, where two different sets of emission spectra could be obtained upon irradiation with an appropriate excitation wavelength. One of these photophysical systems became strongly suppressed when the monohydrate was half-dehydrated, and only one of the photophysical systems could be observed in this hemihydrate. In the fully dehydrated state, both photophysical pathways became almost totally suppressed, so that the nonsolvated cefadroxil became effectively nonfluorescent.

Hydrates and solid-state reactivity: a survey of beta-lactam antibiotics

Crystalline hydrates of hydrolytically susceptible pharmaceuticals are commonly encountered, and are particularly prevalent in the beta-lactam class of antibiotics. In order to rationalize how the apparent chemical incompatibility between water and beta-lactams is reduced through crystallization, a review of the published literature and available structural information on the solid state stability was undertaken. A search in the CSD yielded a total of 32 crystal structures of water-containing beta-lactams which were examined and classified in terms of hydrogen-bonded networks. In most cases the waters of hydration in the single crystal structures were found to fulfill structural roles and were not sufficiently close in proximity to react with the beta-lactam ring. Published data for the solid-state of several hydrates were also considered. In general, the stability data indicate high thermal stability for the crystalline hydrates. Moreover, even when water molecules are in appropriate proximity and orientation with respect to the beta-lactam moiety for a reaction to occur, the crystalline solids remain stable. The use of the crystal structure information along with computational modeling suggests that a combination of proximal relationships, steric and mechanistic arguments can explain the observed solid-state stability of crystalline beta-lactam hydrates.

A Collision Theory-Based Derivation of Semiempirical Equations for Modeling Dispersive Kinetics and Their Application to a Mixed-Phase Crystal Decomposition

In recent works, the author has shown the utility of new, semiempirical kinetic model equations for treating dispersive chemical processes ranging from slow (minute/hour time scale) solid-state phase transformations to ultrafast (femtosecond) reactions in the gas phase. These two fundamental models (one for homogeneous/deceleratory sigmoidal conversion kinetics and the other for heterogeneous/acceleratory sigmoidal kinetics; isothermal conditions), based on the assumption of a "Maxwell-Boltzmann-like" distribution of molecular activation energies, provide a novel, quantum-based interpretation of the kinetics. As an extension to previous work, it is shown here that the derivation of these dispersive kinetic equations is supported by classical collision theory (i.e., for gas-phase applications). Furthermore, the successful application of the approach to the kinetic modeling of the solid-state decomposition of a binary system, CO2.C2H2, is demonstrated. Finally, the models derived appear to explain some of the (solid-state) kinetic data collected using isoconversional techniques such as those often reported in the thermal analysis literature.

Comparison between dehydration and desolvation kinetics of fluconazole monohydrate and fluconazole ethylacetate solvate using three different methods

It was of interest to study the dehydration and the desolvation of fluconazole monohydrate and ethyl acetate solvate respectively and also to determine the kinetics of dehydration and desolvation using thermogravimetry (TGA). Fluconazole monohydrate and ethyl acetate solvate were prepared by crystallization in water and in ethyl acetate solvent respectively. The dehydration and the desolvation processes were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, powder X-ray diffractometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The weight changes of the fluconazole monohydrate and ethyl acetate solvate samples were monitored by isothermal TGA. Kinetic analyses of isothermal TGA data were done using model dependent and model independent methods. Various heating rates were also employed in different TGA samples, in order to apply the Ozawa method to determine the kinetic parameters. Eighteen solid-state reaction models were used to interpret the isothermal TGA experiments. Based on statistics, the three-dimensional phase boundary reaction model provided the best fit of the monohydrate data while the three-dimensional diffusion model provided the best fit for the ethyl acetate solvate data. The activation energy (E(a)) values derived from rate constants of the aforementioned models were 90 +/- 11 and 153 +/- 11 kJ/mol for fluconazole monohydrate and ethyl acetate solvate respectively. Model independent analysis and the Ozawa method were also applied to the experimental results. Based on the results obtained from the model dependent, model independent and the Ozawa method, the mechanisms of the dehydration and the desolvation were determined.

Effect of Salt Type on Hygroscopicity of a New Cephalosporin S-3578

PURPOSE

Effect of salt type on hygroscopicity was evaluated using S-3578 salts.

METHODS

The hydration behavior of a sulfate and a nitrate salt of S-3578 were evaluated by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), simultaneous measurement of PXRD-differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), moisture sorption analysis, simultaneous measurement of thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyses, and solid state 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (C-NMR).

RESULTS

The sulfate salt incorporated two types of lattice water to form a monohydrate or a trihydrate. Additional water could also be absorbed as channel water to expand the lattice structure. The activation energy for dehydration was very high, probably due to steric hindrance in the lattice structure. The nitrate salt incorporated only one water molecule per compound as the lattice water. The additional water was absorbed as channel water as observed for the sulfate salt. X-ray diffractograms showed little dependence on the salt type under the ambient condition. The hydration number was likely to be affected by the size of the counter acids.

CONCLUSIONS

The hygroscopicity of S-3578 salts was significantly altered by the salt type. The difference in the amount of the lattice water could be explained in terms of the difference in the molecular size of the counter acids.

Complementary Use of Model-Free and Modelistic Methods in the Analysis of Solid-State Kinetics

There are many methods for analyzing solid-state kinetic data. They are generally grouped into two categories, model-fitting and isoconversional (model-free) methods. Historically, model-fitting methods were widely used because of their ability to directly determine the kinetic triplet (i.e., frequency factor [A], activation energy [E(a)], and model). However, these methods suffer from several problems among which is their inability to uniquely determine the reaction model. This has led to the decline of these methods in favor of isoconversional methods that evaluate kinetics without modelistic assumptions. This work proposes an approach that combines the power of isoconversional methods with model-fitting methods. It is based on using isoconversional methods instead of traditional statistical fitting methods to select the reaction model. Once a reaction model has been selected, the activation energy and frequency factor can be determined for that model. This approach was investigated for simulated and real experimental data for desolvation reactions of sulfameter solvates.

Dehydration kinetics of piroxicam monohydrate and relationship to lattice energy and structure

The dehydration kinetics of piroxicam monohydrate (PM) is analyzed by both model-free and model-fitting approaches. The conventional model-fitting approach assuming a fixed mechanism throughout the reaction is found to be too simplistic. The model-free approach allows for a change of mechanism and activation energy, Ea, during the course of a reaction and is therefore more realistic. The complexity of the dehydration of PM is illustrated by the dependence of Ea on both the heating conditions, isothermal or nonisothermal, and on the fraction of conversion, alpha (0 < or = alpha < or = 1). Under both isothermal and nonisothermal conditions, Ea increases with alpha for 0 < or = alpha < or = 0.25, followed by an approximately constant value of Ea during further dehydration. In the constant-Ea region, isothermal dehydration follows the two-dimensional phase boundary model (R2), whereas nonisothermal dehydration follows a mechanism intermediate between two- and three-dimensional diffusion that cannot be described by any of the common models. Structural studies suggest that the complex hydrogen-bond pattern in PM is responsible for the observed dehydration behavior. Ab initio calculations provide an explanation for the changes in the molecular and crystal structures accompanying the reversible change in hydration state between anhydrous piroxicam Form I and PM. This work also demonstrates the utility of model-free analysis in describing complex dehydration kinetics.

Crystal structure of neotame anhydrate polymorph G

PURPOSE

To determine the crystal structure of the neotame anhydrate polymorph G and to evaluate X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) with molecular modeling as an alternative method for determining the crystal structure of this conformationally flexible dipeptide.

METHODS

The crystal structure of polymorph G was determined by single crystal X-ray crystallography (SCXRD) and also from the X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) pattern using molecular modeling (Cerius2, Powder Solve module).

RESULTS

From SCXRD, polymorph G crystals are orthorhombic with space group of P2(1)2(1)2(1) with Z = 4, unit cell constants: a = 5.5999(4), b = 11.8921(8), c = 30.917(2) A, and one neotame molecule per asymmetric unit. The XRPD pattern of polymorph G, analyzed by Cerius2 software, led to the same P2(1)2(1)2(1) space group and almost identical unit cell dimensions. However, with 13 rigid bodies defined, Cerius2 gives a conformation of the neotame molecule, which is different from that determined by SCXRD.

CONCLUSIONS

For neotame anhydrate polymorph G, the unit cell dimensions calculated from XRPD were almost identical to those determined by SCXRD. However, the crystal structure determined by XRPD closely resembled that determined by SCXRD, only when the correct conformation of the neotame molecule had been chosen before detailed analysis of the XRPD pattern.

Conformational flexibility and hydrogen-bonding patterns of the neotame molecule in its various solid forms

The conformational flexibility and the molecular packing patterns of the neotame molecule in its various crystal forms, including neotame monohydrate, methanol solvate, ethanol solvate, benzene solvate, and anhydrate polymorph G, are analyzed in this work. The Cerius2 molecular modeling program with the Dreiding 2.21 force field was employed to calculate the most stable conformations of neotame molecules in the gaseous state and to analyze the conformations of the neotame molecule in its various crystal forms. Using graph set analysis, the hydrogen bond patterns of these crystal forms were compared. The neotame molecule takes different conformations in its crystal forms and in the free gaseous state. Cerius2 found 10 conformers with lower conformational energies than those in the actual crystal structures, which represent an energetic compromise. The relatively large differences between the energies of the conformers indicate the necessity for rewriting or customizing the force field for neotame. The hydrogen bonding patterns of the neotame methanol and ethanol solvates are identical, but different from those of the other three forms, which also differ from each other. The neotame molecule in its various crystal forms takes different conformations that differ from those in the gaseous state because of the influence of crystal packing. The intramolecular ring, S5, is present in all the crystal forms. The following hydrogen bonding patterns occur in some of the crystal forms: diad, D; intramolecular rings, S(6) and S(7); chains, C(5) and C(6); and an intermolecular ring, R2(2)(12).