Solid–Liquid Phase Equilibrium of Nicotinamide in Different Pure Solvents: Measurements and Thermodynamic Modeling

A molecularly enhanced proof of concept for targeting cocrystals at molecular scale in continuous pharmaceuticals cocrystallization

It is impossible to optimize a process for a target drug product with the desired profile without a proper understanding of the interplay among the material attributes, the process parameters, and the attributes of the drug product. There is a particular need to bridge the micro- and mesoscale events that occur during this process. Here, we propose а molecular engineering methodology for the continuous cocrystallization process, based on Raman spectra measured experimentally with a probe and from quantum mechanical calculations. Using molecular dynamics simulations, the theoretical Raman spectra were calculated from first principles for local mixture structures under an external shear force at various temperatures. A proof of concept is developed to build the process design space from the computed data. We show that the determined process design space provides valuable insight for optimizing the cocrystallization process at the nanoscale, where experimental measurements are difficult and/or inapplicable. The results suggest that our method may be used to target cocrystallization processes at the molecular scale for improved pharmaceutical synthesis.

Pharmaceutical nanococrystal synthesis: a novel grinding approach

Nanococrystals – a new green in situ surfactant-assisted mechanochemical synthesis.

Thermodynamics and Intermolecular Interactions of Nicotinamide in Neat and Binary Solutions: Experimental Measurements and COSMO-RS Concentration Dependent Reactions Investigations

In this study, the temperature-dependent solubility of nicotinamide (niacin) was measured in six neat solvents and five aqueous-organic binary mixtures (methanol, 1,4-dioxane, acetonitrile, DMSO and DMF). It was discovered that the selected set of organic solvents offer all sorts of solvent effects, including co-solvent, synergistic, and anti-solvent features, enabling flexible tuning of niacin solubility. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry was used to characterize the fusion thermodynamics of nicotinamide. In particular, the heat capacity change upon melting was measured. The experimental data were interpreted by means of COSMO-RS-DARE (conductor-like screening model for realistic solvation-dimerization, aggregation, and reaction extension) for concentration dependent reactions. The solute-solute and solute-solvent intermolecular interactions were found to be significant in all of the studied systems, which was proven by the computed mutual affinity of the components at the saturated conditions. The values of the Gibbs free energies of pair formation were derived at an advanced level of theory (MP2), including corrections for electron correlation and zero point vibrational energy (ZPE). In all of the studied systems the self-association of nicotinamide was found to be a predominant intermolecular complex, irrespective of the temperature and composition of the binary system. The application of the COSMO-RS-DARE approach led to a perfect match between the computed and measured solubility data, by optimizing the parameter of intermolecular interactions.

Comments on "What if Cocrystallization Fails for Neutral Molecules? Screening Offered Eutectics as Alternate Pharmaceutical Materials: Leflunomide-A Case Study"

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Hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking in nicotinamide/H2O mixtures

The interactions between nicotinamide (NA) and H₂O were studied using UV-visible spectra (UV-Vis), cyclic voltammetry (CV), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), density functional theory (DFT) and atoms in molecules (AIM) analysis. According to the changes of the UV-Vis spectra and the oxidation and reduction potentials in cyclic voltammograms of NA in aqueous solution, it was found that hydrogen bonding occurred between NA and H₂O molecules. Quantum chemistry calculations and AIM analysis further confirmed the existence of hydrogen bonding between H₂O molecules and the amide group, the nitrogen atom, and hydrogen atoms on the pyridine ring of NA molecules. In addition, the NMR results demonstrated that the π-π stacking between NA pyridine rings could be formed at higher concentrations.