Probing intermolecular crystal packing in γ-indomethacin by high-resolution (1)H solid-state NMR spectroscopy

An NMR crystallography approach that combines experimental solid-state magic-angle-spinning (MAS) NMR with calculation is applied to the gamma polymorph of the pharmaceutical molecule, indomethacin. First-principles calculations (GIPAW) for the full crystal structure and an isolated molecule show changes in the (1)H chemical shift for specific aliphatic and aromatic protons of over -1 ppm that are due to intermolecular CH-pi interactions. For the OH proton, (1)H double-quantum (DQ) CRAMPS (combined rotation and multiple-pulse spectroscopy) spectra reveal intermolecular H-H proximities to the OH proton of the carboxylic acid dimer as well as to specific aromatic CH protons. The enhanced resolution in (1)H DQ-(13)C spectra, recorded at 850 MHz, enables separate (1)H DQ build-up curves (as a function of the DQ recoupling time) to be extracted for the aromatic CH protons. Supported by eight-spin density-matrix simulations, it is shown how the relative maximum intensities and rates of build-up provide quantitative insight into intramolecular and intermolecular H-H proximities that characterize the crystal packing

Application of Twin Screw Extrusion in the Manufacture of Cocrystals, Part I: Four Case Studies

The application of twin screw extrusion (TSE) as a scalable and green process for the manufacture of cocrystals was investigated. Four model cocrystal forming systems, Caffeine-Oxalic acid, Nicotinamide-trans cinnamic acid, Carbamazepine-Saccharin, and Theophylline-Citric acid, were selected for the study. The parameters of the extrusion process that influenced cocrystal formation were examined. TSE was found to be an effective method to make cocrystals for all four systems studied. It was demonstrated that temperature and extent of mixing in the extruder were the primary process parameters that influenced extent of conversion to the cocrystal in neat TSE experiments. In addition to neat extrusion, liquid-assisted TSE was also demonstrated for the first time as a viable process for making cocrystals. Notably, the use of catalytic amount of benign solvents led to a lowering of processing temperatures required to form the cocrystal in the extruder. TSE should be considered as an efficient, scalable, and environmentally friendly process for the manufacture of cocrystals with little to no solvent requirements