Experimental Studies and Modeling of the Drying Kinetics of Multicomponent Polymer Films.

The process of drying thin polymer films is an important operation that influences the film structure and solid state, and the stability of the product. The purpose of this work was to study and model the drying kinetics of multicomponent films based on two polymers: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC, amorphous) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA, semicrystalline). The isothermal drying kinetics of the films at different temperatures (40, 60, and 80°C) were studied using thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and convection oven methods. Solid-state characterization tools used in the study included polarization and hot-stage microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The drying kinetics of HPMC and PVA films in the TGA apparatus and convection oven were comparable. The three-parameter (W max, τ, n) Hill equation successfully modeled the experimental drying kinetics. The time factor τ in the Hill equation nicely explained two drying phases in the films. Solid-state phase changes occurring in the films during dehydration had a bearing on the drying kinetics and mechanisms. TGA can be used as a simple tool to determine the end points in drying processes using ovens or tunnels. The three-parameter Hill equation explained the drying kinetics and diffusion mechanisms of the solvent through the polymer films for the first time. This study advances our understanding of film drying, in particular for pharmaceutically relevant thin films.

Relationship between mechanical properties and crystal structure in cocrystals and salt of paracetamol.

Objectives were to study mechanical properties of various solid forms of paracetamol and relate to their crystal structures. Paracetamol form I (PRA), its cocrystals with oxalic acid (PRA-OXA) and 4,4-bipyridine (PRA-BPY) and hydrochloride salt (PRA-HCL) were selected. Cocrystals and salt were scaled-up using rational crystallization methods. The resulting materials were subjected to different solid-state characterizations. The powders were sieved and 90-360 µm sieve fraction was considered. These powders were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and densities were determined. Tablets were made at applied pressures of 35-180 MPa under controlled conditions and the tablet height, diameter and hardness were measured. Tensile strength and porosity of the tablets were estimated using well known models. Crystal structures of these systems were visualized and slip planes were identified. Cocrystal and salt of PRA were physically pure. Sieved powders had comparable morphologies and particle size. The apparent and theoretical densities of powders were similar, but no clear trends were observed. The tensile strengths of these compacts were increased with increasing pressure whereas tabletability decreased in the order oxalic acid > PRA-HCL ≈ PRA-OXA > BPY > PRA-BPY. Tablet tensile strength decreases exponentially with increasing porosity with the exception of PRY-BPY and BPY. Slip plane prediction based on attachment energies may not be independently considered. However, it was possible to explain the improved mechanical properties of powders based on the crystal structure. Cocrystallization and salt formation have introduced structural features that are responsible for improved tableting properties of PRA.

Vibrational spectroscopic investigation of polymorphs and cocrystals of indomethacin.

CONTEXT: Identification of optimal solid form of an active pharmaceutical ingredient and form control are very important in drug development. Thus, the structural information of these forms and in-depth insight on the modes of molecular interactions are necessary, and vibrational spectroscopic methods are well suited for this purpose. OBJECTIVE: In-depth structural analysis of different solid forms of indomethacin (IND) using Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy is the objective. We have investigated the modes of molecular interactions in polymorphs (α and γ), amorphous and discovered cocrystals of IND with nicotinamide (NIC) and trans-cinnamic acid (CIN) coformers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The solid forms of IND have been prepared; their purity has been verified by differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffractometry and then studied in the solid-state by Raman and IR spectroscopy. The modes of the interactions were closely investigated from the vibrational data. RESULTS: The key vibrational features of IND solid forms have been specified. The IR (C=O) band at 1713 cm(-1) attributed to cyclic acid dimer of γ IND has disappeared in IND-NIC/CIN whilst retained in IND-SAC cocrystal. DISCUSSION: IND cocrystallizes in different conformations and crystal lattices with different coformers. The cyclic acid dimer of IND has been kept on its cocrystallization with saccharin and it could have been broken with NIC and CIN. CONCLUSIONS: The complementary nature of Raman and IR spectroscopy allowed unambiguous investigation of the chemical composition of pharmaceutical materials which is of particular importance in the absence of detailed structural information, as in the case of IND-NIC and IND-CIN.

Theophylline cocrystals prepared by spray drying: physicochemical properties and aerosolization performance.

The purpose of this work was to characterize theophylline (THF) cocrystals prepared by spray drying in terms of the physicochemical properties and inhalation performance when aerosolized from a dry powder inhaler. Cocrystals of theophylline with urea (THF-URE), saccharin (THF-SAC) and nicotinamide (THF-NIC) were prepared by spray drying. Milled THF and THF-SAC cocrystals were also used for comparison. The physical purity, particle size, particle morphology and surface energy of the materials were determined. The in vitro aerosol performance of the spray-dried cocrystals, drug-alone and a drug-carrier aerosol, was assessed. The spray-dried particles had different size distributions, morphologies and surface energies. The milled samples had higher surface energy than those prepared by spray drying. Good agreement was observed between multi-stage liquid impinger and next-generation impactor in terms of assessing spray-dried THF particles. The fine particle fractions of both formulations were similar for THF, but drug-alone formulations outperformed drug-carrier formulations for the THF cocrystals. The aerosolization performance of different THF cocrystals was within the following rank order as obtained from both drug-alone and drug-carrier formulations: THF-NIC>THF-URE>THF-SAC. It was proposed that micromeritic properties dominate over particle surface energy in terms of determining the aerosol performance of THF cocrystals. Spray drying could be a potential technique for preparing cocrystals with modified physical properties.

pH-dependent solubility of indomethacin-saccharin and carbamazepine-saccharin cocrystals in aqueous media.

Cocrystals constitute an important class of pharmaceutical solids for their remarkable ability to modulate solubility and pH dependence of water insoluble drugs. Here we show how cocrystals of indomethacin-saccharin (IND-SAC) and carbamazepine-saccharin (CBZ-SAC) enhance solubility and impart a pH-sensitivity different from that of the drugs. IND-SAC exhibited solubilities 13 to 65 times higher than IND at pH values of 1 to 3, whereas CBZ-SAC exhibited a 2 to 10 times higher solubility than CBZ dihydrate. Cocrystal solubility dependence on pH predicted from mathematical models using cocrystal K(sp), and cocrystal component K(a) values, was in excellent agreement with experimental measurements. The cocrystal solubility increase relative to drug was predicted to reach a limiting value for a cocrystal with two acidic components. This limiting value is determined by the ionization constants of cocrystal components. Eutectic constants are shown to be meaningful indicators of cocrystal solubility and its pH dependence. The two contributions to solubility, cocrystal lattice and solvation, were evaluated by thermal and solubility determinations. The results show that solvation is the main barrier for the aqueous solubility of these drugs and their cocrystals, which are orders of magnitude higher than their lattice barriers. Cocrystal increase in solubility is thus a result of decreasing the solvation barrier compared to that of the drug. This work demonstrates the favorable properties of cocrystals and strategies that facilitate their meaningful characterization.

Powder X-ray diffraction method for the quantification of cocrystals in the crystallization mixture.

CONTEXT: The solid state purity of cocrystals critically affects their performance. Thus, it is important to accurately quantify the purity of cocrystals in the final crystallization product. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop a powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) quantification method for investigating the purity of cocrystals. The method developed was employed to study the formation of indomethacin-saccharin (IND-SAC) cocrystals by mechanochemical methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pure IND-SAC cocrystals were geometrically mixed with 1:1 w/w mixture of indomethacin/saccharin in various proportions. An accurately measured amount (550 mg) of the mixture was used for the PXRD measurements. The most intense, non-overlapping, characteristic diffraction peak of IND-SAC was used to construct the calibration curve in the range 0-100% (w/w). This calibration model was validated and used to monitor the formation of IND-SAC cocrystals by liquid-assisted grinding (LAG). RESULTS: The IND-SAC cocrystal calibration curve showed excellent linearity (R(2) = 0.9996) over the entire concentration range, displaying limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of 1.23% (w/w) and 3.74% (w/w), respectively. Validation results showed excellent correlations between actual and predicted concentrations of IND-SAC cocrystals (R(2) = 0.9981). DISCUSSION: The accuracy and reliability of the PXRD quantification method depend on the methods of sample preparation and handling. The crystallinity of the IND-SAC cocrystals was higher when larger amounts of methanol were used in the LAG method. CONCLUSION: The PXRD quantification method is suitable and reliable for verifying the purity of cocrystals in the final crystallization product.

Surface thermodynamics of mucoadhesive dry powder formulation of zolmitriptan.

Microparticle powders for nasal delivery were formulated to contain the model drug, zolmitriptan, and varying proportions of different polymers. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of these formulative parameters on the surface chemistry of the spray-dried microparticles and their potential for adhesion to the tested substrates, porcine mucin, and nasal tissue. The polymers used were chitosans of varying ionization states and molecular weights and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. The surface energies of the surfaces of the microparticles were determined using contact angle measurements and the van Oss model. The theory of surface thermodynamics was applied to determine the theoretical potential for the different materials to adhere to the substrates. It was found that the drug or polymers alone, as well as the various formulations, were more likely to adhere to mucin than to nasal tissue. Further, there was a trend for higher molecular weight chitosans to adhere better to the substrates than lower molecular weight chitosans. Similarly, adhesion was improved for formulations with a higher content of polymers. These theoretical predictions may be compared with further experimental results and be of use in making informed decisions on the choice of formulations for future expensive bio-studies.

Preparation of a novel lipid-core micelle using a low-energy emulsification method.

High-energy methods for the manufacturing of nanomedicines are widely used; however, interest in low-energy methods is increasing due to their simplicity, better control over the process, and energy-saving characteristics during upscaling. Here, we developed a novel lipid-core micelle (LCM) as a nanocarrier to encapsulate a poorly water-soluble drug, nifedipine (NFD), by hot-melt emulsification, a low-energy method. LCMs are self-assembling colloidal particles composed of a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell. Hybrid materials, such as Gelucire 44/14, are thus excellent candidates for their preparation. We characterized the obtained nanocarriers for their colloidal properties, drug loading and encapsulation efficiency, liquid state, stability, and drug release. The low-energy method hot-melt emulsification was successfully adapted for the manufacturing of small and narrowly dispersed LCMs. The obtained LCMs had a small average size of ~ 11 nm and a narrow polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.228. These nanocarriers were able to increase the amount of NFD dispersible in water more than 700-fold. Due to their sustained drug release profile and the PEGylation of Gelucire 44/14, these nanocarriers represent an excellent starting point for the development of drug delivery systems designed for long circulation times and passive targeting.

Dry powder inhalers: An overview of the in vitro dissolution methodologies and their correlation with the biopharmaceutical aspects of the drug products.

In vitro dissolution testing is routinely used in the development of pharmaceutical products. Whilst the dissolution testing methods are well established and standardized for oral dosage forms, i.e. tablets and capsules, there are no pharmacopoeia methods or regulatory requirements for testing the dissolution of orally inhaled powders. Despite this, a wide variety of dissolution testing methods for orally inhaled powders has been developed and their bio-relevance has been evaluated. This review provides an overview of the in vitro dissolution methodologies for dry inhalation products, with particular emphasis on dry powder inhalers, where the dissolution behavior of the respirable particles can have a role on duration and absorption of the drug. Dissolution mechanisms of respirable particles as well as kinetic models have been presented. A more recent biorelevant dissolution set-ups and media for studying inhalation biopharmaceutics were also reviewed. In addition, factors affecting interplay between dissolution and absorption of deposited particles in the context of biopharmaceutical considerations of inhalation products were examined.

Hydrogen-bonding interactions in the 4-aminobenzoic acid salt of atenolol monohydrate.

Atenolol {or 4-[2-hydroxy-3-(isopropylamino)propoxy]phenylacetamide} crystallizes with 4-aminobenzoic acid to give the salt {3-[4-(aminocarbonylmethyl)phenoxy]-2-hydroxypropyl}isopropylammonium 4-aminobenzoate monohydrate, C14H23N2O3(+) x C7H6NO2(-) x H2O. In the crystal structure, the water molecule, the carboxylate group of 4-aminobenzoate, and the hydroxy and ether O atoms of atenolol form a supramolecular R3(3) (11) heterosynthon. Three other types of supramolecular synthons link the asymmetric unit into a two-dimensional structure.

Monohydrous dihydrogen phosphate salts of norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin.

Norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin crystallize with phosphoric acid in aqueous solution to give the salts 4-(3-carboxy-1-ethyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-1,4-dihydro-7-quinolyl)piperazinium dihydrogenphosphate monohydrate, C16H19FN3O3(+) x H2PO4(-) x H2O, and 4-(3-carboxy-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-1,4-dihydro-7-quinolyl)piperazinium dihydrogenphosphate monohydrate, C17H19FN3O3(+) x H2PO4(-) x H2O, respectively. In the crystal structures, the phosphate anions and the piperazine rings of norfloxacin or ciprofloxacin form a 12-membered supramolecular synthon, viz. R4(4)(12). The synthons R4(4)(12) and R2(2)(8) formed between adjacent phosphate anions result in the three-dimensional structures.

Experimental cocrystal screening and solution based scale-up cocrystallization methods.

Cocrystals are crystalline single phase materials composed of two or more different molecular and/or ionic compounds generally in a stoichiometric ratio which are neither solvates nor simple salts. If one of the components is an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), the term pharmaceutical cocrystal is often used. There is a growing interest among drug development scientists in exploring cocrystals, as means to address physicochemical, biopharmaceutical and mechanical properties and expand solid form diversity of the API. Conventionally, coformers are selected based on crystal engineering principles, and the equimolar mixtures of API and coformers are subjected to solution-based crystallization that are commonly employed in polymorph and salt screening. However, the availability of new knowledge on cocrystal phase behaviour in solid state and solutions has spurred the development and implementation of more rational experimental cocrystal screening as well as scale-up methods. This review aims to provide overview of commonly employed solid form screening techniques in drug development with an emphasis on cocrystal screening methodologies. The latest developments in understanding and the use of cocrystal phase diagrams in both screening and solution based scale-up methods are also presented. Final section is devoted to reviewing the state of the art research covering solution based scale-up cocrystallization process for different cocrystals besides more recent continuous crystallization methods.

Design of salmon calcitonin particles for nasal delivery using spray-drying and novel supercritical fluid-assisted spray-drying processes.

The overall aim of this study was to prepare a nasal powder formulation of salmon calcitonin (sCT) using an absorption enhancer to improve its bioavailability. In this work, powder formulations for nasal delivery of sCT were studied using various absorption enhancers and stabilizers. Powders were prepared by two different methods: conventional spray-drying (SD) and novel supercritical fluid-assisted spray-drying (SASD) to investigate the role of CO2 in the particle formation process. The prepared sCT powder formulations were characterized by several analyses; powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy method. The particle size distribution was also evaluated. In vivo absorption tests were carried out in Sprague-Dawley rat using the prepared powder formulations, and the results were compared to those of raw sCT. Quantitative analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated that sCT was chemically stable after both the SD and SASD processes. Results of PXRD, SEM, and FT-IR did not indicate a strong interaction or defragmentation of sCT. The in vivo absorption test showed that SD- and SASD-processed sCT powders increased the bioavailability of the drug when compared to the nasal administration of raw sCT. In addition, SASD-processed sCT exhibited higher nasal absorption when compared with SD-processed sCT in all formulations due to a reduction of particle size. The results from this study illustrate that the preparation of nasal powders using the SASD process could be a promising approach to improve nasal absorption of sCT.

Stability and aerodynamic behaviour of glucocorticoid particles prepared by a supercritical fluids process.

Particle processing techniques using supercritical fluids (SF) are potential alternative technologies to design particles for inhalation. Powders of budesonide and flunisolide were prepared using solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluids (SEDS) process. The aim was to determine thermodynamic stability of different polymorphs of flunisolide including new forms from SEDS technology and to characterise micronised and SEDS produced powders of budesonide and flunisolide for their suitability as inhalation powders. Acetone and methanol solutions of budesonide and flunisolide, with a concentration of 2.5 mg/ml, were used for the particle preparation. The pressure was 100 bar and temperatures were 60 degrees C or 80 degrees C. The flow rates of CO(2) and drug solution were 9 ml/min and 0.3 ml/min, respectively. Chemical purity of different polymorphs of flunisolide was estimated using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thermal behaviour was determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Particle morphology and surface examination were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. The particle size distribution and density of the powders were determined with the help of Coulter Counter and helium pycnometer respectively. The in vitro deposition of the powders was studied using multistage liquid impinger (MLI). From the stability study, it was found that the two forms of flunisolide, polymorphs II and hemihydrate, were the most stable. Flunisolide form III was transformed to hemihydrate during the stability study. The chemical purity of the material was increased after SEDS processing. SEDS produced powders of budesonide and flunisolide form III from acetone showed narrow volumetric particle size distributions with 90% of the particles below 4 microm and geometric mean size around 3 microm. However, in the MLI study, budesonide powder obtained from SEDS with acetone showed favorable deposition in the lower stages with a mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of around 3 microm whilst the flunisolide form III was preferentially deposited in the higher stages of the MLI with MMAD of over 5 microm, due to aggregation of the particles. Particles of budesonide and flunisolide, in the size range, suitable for inhalation, were reproducibly produced using SEDS.

Preparation and characterisation of hydrocortisone particles using a supercritical fluids extraction process.

Crystallisation and subsequent milling of pharmaceutical powders by traditional methods often cause variations in physicochemical properties thereby influencing bioavailability of the formulation. Crystallisation of drug substances using supercritical fluids (SFs) offers some advantages over existing traditional methods in controlling particle characteristics. The novel particle formation method, solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical (SEDS) fluids was used for the preparation of hydrocortisone (HC) particles. The influence of processing conditions on the solid-state properties of the particles was studied. HC, an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, particles were prepared from acetone and methanol solutions using the SEDS process. The solutions were dispersed with supercritical CO(2), acting as an anti-solvent, through a specially designed co-axial nozzle into a pressured vessel maintained at a specific constant temperature and pressure. The temperatures and pressures studied were 40-90 degrees C and 90-180 bar, respectively. The relative flow rates of drug solution to CO(2) were varied between 0.002 and 0.03. Solid-state characterisation of particles included differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), solubility studies and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination. The aerodynamic properties of SEDS prepared particles were determined by a multistage liquid impinger (MLI). Particles produced from acetone solutions were crystalline needles, melting at 221+/-2 degrees C. Their morphology was independent of processing conditions. With methanol solutions, particles were flakes or needles depending on the processing temperature and pressure. This material melted at 216+/-1 degrees C, indicating a different crystal structure from the original material, in agreement with observed differences in the position and intensity of the XRPD peaks. The simulated lung deposition, using the MLI, for HC powder was improved after SEDS processing. It was possible to produce and control the crystallinity, morphology, and aerodynamic properties of HC particles with the SEDS technique. This method may be useful for the processing of inhalation powders.

Exploiting the Synergy of Powder X-ray Diffraction and Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy in Structure Determination of Organic Molecular Solids.

We report a strategy for structure determination of organic materials in which complete solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral data is utilized within the context of structure determination from powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. Following determination of the crystal structure from powder XRD data, first-principles density functional theory-based techniques within the GIPAW approach are exploited to calculate the solid-state NMR data for the structure, followed by careful scrutiny of the agreement with experimental solid-state NMR data. The successful application of this approach is demonstrated by structure determination of the 1:1 cocrystal of indomethacin and nicotinamide. The 1H and 13C chemical shifts calculated for the crystal structure determined from the powder XRD data are in excellent agreement with those measured experimentally, notably including the two-dimensional correlation of 1H and 13C chemical shifts for directly bonded 13C-1H moieties. The key feature of this combined approach is that the quality of the structure determined is assessed both against experimental powder XRD data and against experimental solid-state NMR data, thus providing a very robust validation of the veracity of the structure.

Identifying the intermolecular hydrogen-bonding supramolecular synthons in an indomethacin-nicotinamide cocrystal by solid-state NMR.

Two-dimensional (1)H double-quantum and (14)N-(1)H & (1)H-(13)C heteronuclear magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectra recorded at natural isotopic abundance identify specific intermolecular COOH···N(arom) and CH(arom)···O=C hydrogen-bonding interactions in the solid-state structure of an indomethacin-nicotinamide cocrystal, thus additionally proving cocrystal formation.

Effect of carrier particle shape on dry powder inhaler performance.

The aim of this study was to characterise the aerosolisation properties of salbutamol sulphate (SS) from dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulations containing different carrier products. The difference in the elongation ratio (ER) of the different carriers was highlighted. Different set of carriers, namely commercial mannitol (CM), commercial lactose (CL), cooling crystallised mannitol (CCM), acetone crystallised mannitol (ACM) and ethanol crystallised mannitol (ECM) were used and inspected in terms of size, shape, density, crystal form, flowability, and in vitro aerosolisation performance using Multi Stage Liquid Impinger (MSLI) and Aerolizer inhaler device. Solid-state and morphological characterization showed that CM product was in pure ß-form having particles with smaller ER (CM: ER=1.62 ± 0.04) whereas ACM and ECM mannitol particles were in pure α form with higher ER (ACM: ER=4.83 ± 0.18, ECM: ER=5.89 ± 0.19). CCM product crystallised as mixtures of ß-form and δ-form and showed the largest variability in terms of particle shape, size, and DPI performance. Linear relationships were established showing that carrier products with higher ER have smaller bulk density (D(b)), smaller tap density (D(t)), higher porosity (P), and poorer flow properties. In vitro aerosolisation assessments showed that the higher the ER of the carrier particles the greater the amounts of SS delivered to lower airway regions indicating enhanced DPI performance. Yet, DPI performance enhancement by increasing carrier ER reached a "limit" as increasing carrier ER from 4.83±0.18 (ACM) to 5.89±0.19 (ECM) did not significantly alter fine particle fraction (FPF) of SS. Also, carrier particles with higher ER were disadvantageous in terms of higher amounts of SS remained in inhaler device (drug loss) and deposited on throat. Linear relationship was established (r(2)=0.87) showing that the higher the carrier ER the lower the drug emission (EM) upon inhalation. Moreover, poorer flowability for carrier products with higher ER is disadvantageous in terms of DPI formulation dose metering and processing on handling scale. In conclusion, despite that using carrier particles with higher ER can considerably increase the amounts of drug delivered to lower airway regions; this enhancement is restricted to certain point. Also, other limitations should be taken into account including higher drug loss and poorer flowability.

Hansen solubility parameter as a tool to predict cocrystal formation.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether the miscibility of a drug and coformer, as predicted by Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs), can indicate cocrystal formation and guide cocrystal screening. It was also our aim to evaluate various HSPs-based approaches in miscibility prediction. HSPs for indomethacin (the model drug) and over thirty coformers were calculated according to the group contribution method. Differences in the HSPs between indomethacin and each coformer were then calculated using three established approaches, and the miscibility was predicted. Subsequently, differential scanning calorimetry was used to investigate the experimental miscibility and cocrystal formation. The formation of cocrystals was also verified using liquid-assisted grinding. All except one of the drug-coformers that were predicted to be miscible were confirmed experimentally as miscible. All tested theoretical approaches were in agreement in predicting miscibility. All systems that formed cocrystals were miscible. Remarkably, two new cocrystals of indomethacin were discovered in this study. Though it may be necessary to test this approach in a wide range of different coformer and drug compound types for accurate generalizations, the trends with tested systems were clear and suggest that the drug and coformer should be miscible for cocrystal formation. Thus, predicting the miscibility of cocrystal components using solubility parameters can guide the selection of potential coformers prior to exhaustive cocrystal screening work.

Polymorphism in acesulfame sweetener: structure-property and stability relationships of bending and brittle crystals.

Acesulfame is found to exist in two crystalline forms of which Form I (needles) shows bending upon mechanical stress. Crystal structures explain their mechanical response. This is the first case of aliphatic organic compounds featuring a bending phenomenon. Form I is physically more stable than Form II in ambient conditions.