Crystal structure of tofacitinib dihydrogen citrate (Xeljanz®), (C16H21N6O)(H2C6H5O7)

Abstract

The crystal structure of tofacitinib dihydrogen citrate (tofacitinib citrate) has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Tofacitinib dihydrogen citrate crystallizes in space group P212121 (#19) with a = 5.91113(1), b = 12.93131(3), c = 30.43499(7) Å, V = 2326.411(6) Å3, and Z = 4. The crystal structure consists of corrugated layers perpendicular to the c-axis. Within the layers, cation⋯anion and anion⋯anion hydrogen bonds link the fragments into a two-dimensional network parallel to the ab-plane. Between the layers, there are only van der Waals contacts. A terminal carboxylic acid group in the citrate anion forms a strong charge-assisted hydrogen bond to the ionized central carboxylate group. The other carboxylic acid acts as a donor to the carbonyl group of the cation. The citrate hydroxy group forms an intramolecular charge-assisted hydrogen bond to the ionized central carboxylate. Two protonated nitrogen atoms in the cation act as donors to the ionized central carboxylate of the anion. These hydrogen bonds form a ring with the graph set symbol R2,2(8). The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).