Polymorphs with Remarkably Distinct Physical and/or Chemical Properties

Polymorphism in crystals is known since 1822 and the credit goes to Mitscherlich who realized the existence of different crystal structures of the same compound while working with some arsenate and phosphate salts. Later on, this phenomenon was observed also in organic crystals. With the advent of different technologies, especially the easy availability of single crystal XRD instruments, polymorphism in crystals has become a common phenomenon. Almost 37 % of compounds (single component) are polymorphic to date. As the energies of the different polymorphic forms are very close to each other, small changes in crystallization conditions might lead to different polymorphic structures. As a result, sometimes it is difficult to control polymorphism. For this reason, it is considered to be a nuisance to crystal engineering. It has been realized that the property of a material depends not only on the molecular structure but also on its crystal structure. Therefore, it is not only of interest to academia but also has widespread applications in the materials science as well as pharmaceutical industries. In this review, we have discussed polymorphism which causes significant changes in materials properties in different fields of solid-state science, such as electrical, magnetic, SHG, thermal expansion, mechanical, luminescence, color, and pharmaceutical. Therefore, this review will interest researchers from supramolecular chemistry, materials science as well as medicinal chemistry.

Differences in Coformer Interactions of the 2,4-Diaminopyrimidines Pyrimethamine and Trimethoprim

The identification and study of supramolecular synthons is a fundamental task in the design of pharmaceutical cocrystals. The malaria drug pyrimethamine (pyr) and the antibiotic trimethoprim (tmp) are both 2,4-diaminopyrimidine derivatives, providing the same C-NH₂/N=C/C-NH₂ and C-NH₂/N=C interaction sites. In this article, we analyze and compare the synthons observed in the crystal structures of tmp and pyr cocrystals and molecular salts with sulfamethazine (smz), α-ketoglutaric acid (keto), oxalic acid (ox), sebacic acid (seb), and azeliac acid (az). We show that the same coformer interacts with different binding sites of the 2,4-diaminopyrimidine ring in the respective tmp and pyr cocrystals or binds at the same site but gives H bonding patterns with different graph set notions. Pyr·smz·CH₃OH is the first crystal structure in which the interaction of the sulfa drug at the C-NH₂/N=C/C-NH₂ site with three parallel NH₂···N, N···NH_sulfonamide, and NH₂···O=S H bonds is observed. The main synthon in (tmp⁺)(keto^-).0.5H₂O and (tmp⁺)₂(ox^2-)·2CH₃OH is the motif of fused R ₂ ¹(6) and R ₁ ²(5) rings instead of the R ₂ ²(8) motif typically observed in tmp⁺ and pyr⁺ carboxylates. Tmp/az is a rare example of cocrystal-salt polymorphism where the two solid-state forms have the same composition, stoichiometry, and main synthon. Theoretical calculations were performed to understand the order of stability, which is tmp·az cocrystal > (tmp⁺)(az^-) salt. Finally, two three-component tmp/sulfa drug/carboxylate cocrystals with a unique ternary synthon are described.

Importance of Nuclear Quantum Effects for Molecular Cocrystals with Short Hydrogen Bonds

Many efforts have been recently devoted to the design and investigation of multicomponent pharmaceutical solids, such as salts and cocrystals. The experimental distinction between these solid forms is often challenging. Here, we show that the transformation of a salt into a cocrystal with a short hydrogen bond does not occur as a sharp phase transition but rather a smooth shift of the positional probability of the hydrogen atoms. A combination of solid-state NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and diffuse reflectance measurements with density functional theory calculations that include nuclear quantum effects (NQEs) provides evidence of temperature-induced hydrogen atom shift in cocrystals with short hydrogen bonds. We demonstrate that for the predictions of the salt/cocrystal solid forms with short H-bonds, the computations have to include NQEs (particularly hydrogen nuclei delocalization) and temperature effects.

Polymorphism and photoluminescence seen in (2-amino-5-chloropyridine)·(9-anthracenecarboxylic acid)·(trinitrobenzene). A further example of the salt-cocrystal continuum observed by virtue of isolating multiple crystal forms

Two polymorphic forms of the ternary adduct (2-amino-5-chloropyridine)·(9-anthracenecarboxylic acid)·(trinitrobenzene) were isolated. In both forms 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid displays a charge-transfer interaction with trinitrobenzene and a charge-assisted hydrogen bonding interaction with 2-amino-5-chloropyridine...

Unexpected Salt/Cocrystal Polymorphism of the Ketoprofen-Lysine System: Discovery of a New Ketoprofen-l-Lysine Salt Polymorph with Different Physicochemical and Pharmacokinetic Properties

Ketoprofen–l-lysine salt (KLS) is a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Here, we studied deeply the solid-state characteristics of KLS to possibly identify new polymorphic drugs. Conducting a polymorph screening study and combining conventional techniques with solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, we identified, for the first time, a salt/cocrystal polymorphism of the ketoprofen (KET)–lysine (LYS) system, with the cocrystal, KET–LYS polymorph 1 (P1), being representative of commercial KLS, and the salt, KET–LYS polymorph 2 (P2), being a new polymorphic form of KLS. Interestingly, in vivo pharmacokinetics showed that the salt polymorph has significantly higher absorption and, thus, different pharmacokinetics compared to commercial KLS (cocrystal), laying the basis for the development of faster-release/acting KLS formulations. Moreover, intrinsic dissolution rate (IDR) and electronic tongue analyses showed that the salt has a higher IDR, a more bitter taste, and a different sensorial kinetics compared to the cocrystal, suggesting that different coating/flavoring processes should be envisioned for the new compound. Thus, the new KLS polymorphic form with its different physicochemical and pharmacokinetic characteristics can open the way to the development of a new KET–LYS polymorph drug that can emphasize the properties of commercial KLS for the treatment of acute inflammatory and painful conditions.

Molecular Interpretation of the Compaction Performance and Mechanical Properties of Caffeine Cocrystals: A Polymorphic Study

The 1:1 caffeine (CAF) and 3-nitrobenzoic acid (NBA) cocrystal (CAF:NBA) displays polymorphism. Each polymorph shares the same docking synthon that connects individual CAF and NBA molecules within the asymmetric unit; however, the extended intermolecular interactions are significantly different between the two polymorphic modifications. These alternative interaction topologies translate to distinct structural motifs, mechanical properties, and compaction performance. To assist our molecular interpretation of the structure-mechanics-performance relationships for these cocrystal polymorphs, we combine powder Brillouin light scattering (p-BLS) to determine the mechanical properties with energy frameworks calculations to identify potentially available slip systems that may facilitate plastic deformation. The previously reported Form 1 for CAF:NBA adopts a 2D-layered crystal structure with a conventional 3.4 Å layer-to-layer separation distance. For Form 2, a columnar structure of 1D-tapes is displayed with CAF:NBA dimers running parallel to the (110) crystallographic direction. Consistent with the layered crystal structure, the shear modulus for Form 1 is significantly reduced relative to Form 2, and moreover, our p-BLS spectra for Form 1 clearly display the presence of low-velocity shear modes, which support the expectation of a low-energy slip system available for facile plastic deformation. Our energy frameworks calculations confirm that Form 1 displays a favorable slip system for plastic deformation. Combining our experimental and computational data indicates that the structural organization in Form 1 of CAF:NBA improves the compressibility and plasticity of the material, and from our tabletability studies, each of these contributions confers superior tableting performance to that of Form 1. Overall, mechanical and energy framework data permit a clear interpretation of the functional performance of polymorphic solids. This could serve as a robust screening approach for early pharmaceutical solid form selection and development.

Combinations of Tautomeric Forms and Neutral-Cationic Forms in the Cocrystals of Sulfamethazine with Carboxylic Acids

The cocrystals of sulfamethazine with different acids, namely, 2-mercaptophenylcarboxylic acid, 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, 4-(4-hydroxyphenylazo)phenylcarboxylic acid, 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid, and 4-(phenyl)phenylcarboxylic acid, are studied here. Each has distinct notable supramolecular features. The pyrimidin-2-amine unit of the sulfamethazine provided unique examples of cocrystals in which amidine and imidine forms or neutral and protonated forms of sulfamethazine are observed in 2:2 ratios. Hence, this study provides avenues to explore cocrystals with tautomeric forms together in a cocrystal and also neutral and protonated cocrystal partners as apparent multicomponents in cocrystals. Among the cocrystals, three of them have the amidine form of the sulfamethazine in respective self-assembly. The cocrystal of 2-mercapto-phenylcarboxylic acid with sulfamethazine has the amidine form and it has the distinction of having S-H···π interactions. The cocrystal of sulfamethazine with 2,6-pyridinecarboxylic acid is a rare example of a 1:1 cocrystal of sulfmethazine with dicarboxylic acid. It has methanol molecules as a solvent of crystallization. Sulfamethazine forms a hydrated cocrystal with 4-(4-hydroxyphenylazo)-phenylcarboxylic acid that has conventional R 2 2(8) synthons of amidine hydrogen-bonding with carboxylic acid. The phenolic part of the acid component is anchored to the water molecule and provides a robust self-assembly. The hydrated cocrystal of sulfamethazine with 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid (2:2 cocrystal) has two independent molecules of sulfamethazine, one in amidine form and the other in imidine form. It has two neutral carboxylic acids anchored through complementary hydrogen bonds and also has two water molecules of crystallization. The cocrystal of sulfamethazine with 4-(phenyl)phenylcarboxylic acid is also a 2:2 cocrystal. It is a di-hydrate, which has a neutral and protonated form of sulfamethazine. The neutral form is hydrogen-bonded to a neutral carboxylic acid, whereas the protonated form is charge-assisted hydrogen-bonded to the corresponding carboxylate anion.

Co-crystal polymorphic control by nanodroplet and electrical confinement

The polymorphic control of the co-crystal carbamazepine–saccharin (CBZ–SAC) metastable form II was achieved by nano-droplet confinement in tandem with droplet surface charging induced by electrospraying the precursor solution.

Living in the salt-cocrystal continuum: indecisive organic complexes with thermochromic behaviour

The thermochromic behaviour of the haloaniline – 3,5-dinotrobenzoic acid cocrystals over the temperature range from 30–108 °C.