Cocrystal Formation Research Articles

Mechanochemical Synthesis of Resveratrol-Piperazine Cocrystals.

The 1:1 resveratrol-piperazine cocrystal was successfully synthesized and scaled-up to 300 g scale with the mechanochemical method, as a result of investigating key process parameters, namely the solvent and the grinding time. The use of water, ethanol or ethanol-water mixtures and reaction times up to 50 min were evaluated relative to the dry grinding process. Cocrystal formation and purity were monitored through X-ray diffraction and calorimetry measurements. The dry grinding resulted in an incomplete cocrystal formation, while the use of water or water-ethanol mixture yielded a monohydrate solid phase. Pure ethanol was found to be the optimal solvent for large-scale cocrystallization, as it delivered cocrystals with high crystallinity and purity after 10-30 min grinding time at the laboratory scale. Notably, a relatively fast reaction time (30-60 min) was sufficient for the completion of cocrystallization at larger scales, using a planetary ball mill and a plant reactor. Also, the obtained cocrystal increases the aqueous solubility of resveratrol by 6%-16% at pH = 6.8. Overall, this study highlights the potential of solvent-assisted mechanochemical synthesis as a promising new approach for the efficient production of pure resveratrol-piperazine cocrystals.

Machine learning approach to predict Hansen solubility parameters of cocrystal coformers via integrating group contribution and COSMO-RS

Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSPs) have been a hot topic on predicting the tendency of pharmaceutical cocrystals formation and cocrystal coformers (CCFs) screening. However, the limitation of such application is the lack of models to accurately predict the values of HSPs for drug CCFs with more structural complexity. Accordingly, three ML (machine learning) models, i.e. ANN (Artificial Neural Network), XGBoostRegressor (Extreme Gradient Boosting Regressor) and LGBMRegressor (Light Gradient Boosting Machine Regressor), were developed for predicting the HSPs on CCFs screening for drugs. The HSPs database for 181 CCFs (containing alcohols, alkenes, aromatics, haloalkanes, amines, ketones, ethers, amides, esters, pharmaceuticals, alkanes, acids, nitroalkanes) were established and classified into the training set (140 compounds) and the test set (41 compounds with various functional polarity and groups, covering solid reagents and solvents). The prediction molecular descriptors were combined from the GC (Group Contribution) methods, the COSMO-RS (the Conductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents) sigma-moments and energy descriptors. The results showed that ANN and XGBoostRegressor beat out LGBMRegressor in predicting HSPs for CCFs. Finally, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was employed to visualize and explain the most important characteristics and effects on predicting HSPs via XGBoostRegressor, indicating that CH3, M2 and MHbdon3 had a significant influence and high contribution to the prediction of δd, δp and δh, respectively. The coupled GC and COSMO-RS strategy had been proven as a promising tool to predict HSPs through XGBoostRegressor for screening, designing, and selecting CCFs for drugs.

REVIEW: POTENCY OF AMIDE DERIVATES AS CO-CRYSTAL FORMERS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL OF ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL INGREDIENTS

Enhancing the physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) has been achieved by utilizing solid modification through the formation of co-crystals. Co-crystal was formed from active pharmaceutical ingredients and co-crystal former, more commonly called coformers. The occurrence of hydrogen bonds in the formation of co-crystals depends on the presence of groups that act as hydrogen bond donors or acceptors in API. Amide-derived coformers are widely used to form hydrogen bonds with API. This review aims to examine the potential of amide derivates as co-crystal-forming materials (coformers), groups in active pharmaceutical ingredients that can form hydrogen bonds with amide derivates and their impact on the physicochemical properties of API. Initial search results yielded 88 articles. Furthermore, the authors then conducted a screening based on exclusion and inclusion criteria, so that a total of 54 articles were obtained as review material. Data analysis in this journal review was carried out using descriptive analysis. Amide derivates have great potential to be used as co-crystal-forming materials due to the presence of amide or carboxamide groups (-CONH2), which can act as donors as well as acceptors of hydrogen bonds. Most of the amide-derived coformers with aliphatic amide groups, aromatic amides, pyridine carboxamides, and sulfonylcarboxamide form heterosynthon bonds with carboxylic groups on API. However, the formation of homosynthon bonds between amide and amide groups can occur, as in the 5-fluorouracil-urea co-crystal. Most of the amide derivates as coformers can change the physicochemical properties of APIs, especially in increasing the solubility and dissolution rate.

Improving the Solubility and Bioavailability of Progesterone Cocrystals with Selected Carboxylic Acids.

Progesterone (PROG) is a natural steroid hormone with low solubility and high permeability that belongs to biopharmaceutics classification system class II. In this study, novel pharmaceutical cocrystals of PROG were successfully prepared by solvent evaporation or a liquid-assisted grinding process aimed at enhancing its solubility and bioavailability. The cocrystal formers selected based on crystal engineering principles were carboxylic acids, namely, 4-formylbenzeneboronic acid (BBA), isophthalic acid (IPA), and 3-nitrophthalic acid (NPA). The cocrystal structures were characterized using multiple techniques. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction results showed that the carbonyl group, acting as a hydrogen bond acceptor, was pivotal in the cocrystal network formation, with C-H···O interactions further stabilizing the crystals. The cocrystals exhibited improved solubility and dissolution profiles in vitro, with no significant changes in hygroscopicity. The parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) models indicated that the cocrystals retained PROG's high permeability. Pharmacokinetic studies in Sprague-Dawley rats revealed that all cocrystals increased PROG exposure, with AUC(0~∞) values for PROG-BBA, PROG-IPA, and PROG-NPA being 742.59, 1201.72 and 442.67 h·ng·mL-1, respectively. These values are substantially higher compared to free PROG, which had an AUC(0~∞) of 301.48 h·ng·mL-1. Notably, PROG-IPA provided the highest AUC improvement, indicating a significant enhancement in bioavailability. Collectively, the study concludes that the cocrystal approach is a valuable strategy for optimizing the physicochemical properties and oral bioavailability of PROG, with potential implications for the development of other poor water-soluble drugs.

Engineering Lipophilic Aggregation of Adapalene and Adamantane-Based Cocrystals via van der Waals Forces and Hydrogen Bonding.

Lipophilic aggregation using adamantanes is a widely exploited molecular property in medicinal and materials chemistry. Adamantanes are traditionally installed to molecular units via covalent bonds. However, the noncovalent installation of adamantanes has been relatively underexplored and presents the potential to bring properties associated with adamantanes to molecules without affecting their intrinsic properties (e.g., pharmacophores). Here, we systematically study a series of adamantanecarboxylic acids with varying substitution levels of methyl groups and their cocrystals with bipyridines. Specifically, single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that while the directionality of single-component adamantanes is notably sensitive to changes in methyl substitution, hydrogen-bonded cocrystals with bipyridines show consistent and robust packing due to π-stacking predominance. Our observations are supported by Hirshfeld surface and energy framework analyses. The applicability of cocrystal formation of adamantanes bearing carboxylic acids was used to generate the first cocrystals of adapalene, an adamantane-bearing retinoid used for treating acne vulgaris. We envisage our study to inspire noncovalent (i.e., cocrystal) installation of adamantanes to generate lipophilic aggregation in multicomponent systems.

The Impact of Co-crystal Formation on the Stability of Camylofin Dihydrochloride Immediate Release Tablets

The Impact of Co-crystal Formation on the Stability of Camylofin Dihydrochloride Immediate Release Tablets

Temozolomide cocrystal forms with enhanced dissolution, stability and biological activity towards Glioblastoma

Temozolomide (TMZ), the first-line anti-glioblastoma prodrug, hydrolyses at physiological pH (pH>7) in the aqueous medium. With a short elimination half-life (T1/2) of ∼1.8 h, TMZ hydrolytically metabolizes to its metabolites 5-(3-monomethyl-1-triazeno)imidazole-4-carboxamide (MTIC) and then further into 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide (AIC). The objective of current work is to develop novel stable cocrystals of TMZ with safe coformers such as isonicotinic acid (INA), 4-nitrobenzoic acid (4NO2BA), 3-aminobenzoic acid (3ABA), salicylic acid (2-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2HBA) and aromatic amide 4-hydroxybenzamide (4HBz) to stabilize the drug in a cocrystal form. All the cocrystals were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), powder XRD (PXRD), and thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) analyses. Dissolution profiling in phosphate buffer saline pH 6.8 revealed that the drug release rate from TMZ–2HBA Form II cocrystals and TMZ–4NO2BA⋅H2O cocrystal hydrate were significantly higher than pure TMZ. The hydrolytic stability of all the cocrystals and hydrates in pH 6.8 buffer was longer than that of TMZ while showing three-fold hydrolytic stability in case of TMZ–4NO2BA⋅H2O and TMZ-2HBA cocrystals. Their lattice arrangements in SCXRD explain the improved hydrolytic stability in these two cases. In vitro studies on human glioblastoma cell lines showed a significant improvement in the cytotoxicity and possibly improved bioavailability of TMZ–4NO2BA⋅H2O cocrystal hydrate.

Searching new cocrystal structures of CL-20 and HMX via evolutionary algorithm and machine learning potential

In this work, we report the discovery of energy cocrystals using an efficient iterative workflow combining an evolutionary algorithm and a machine learning potential (MLP). The compound 2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) has attracted significant attention owing to its higher energy density than traditional energetic materials. However, the higher sensitivity has limited its applications. An important way to reduce its sensitivity involves cocrystal engineering with traditional explosives. Many cocrystal structures are expected to be composed of these two components. We developed an efficient iterative workflow to explore the phase space of CL-20 and 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane (HMX) cocrystals using an evolutionary algorithm and an MLP. The algorithm was based on the Universal Structure Predictor: Evolutionary Xtallography (USPEX) software, and the MLP was the reactive force field with neural networks (ReaxFF-nn ) model. A set of high-density cocrystal structures was produced through this workflow; these structures were further checked via first-principles geometry optimizations. After careful screening, we identified several high-density cocrystal structures with densities of up to 1.937 g/cm3 and HMX: CL-20 ratios of 1:1 and 1:2. The influence of hydrogen bonds on the formation of high-density cocrystals was also discussed, and a roughly linear relationship was found between energy and density.

Uncovering Cocrystal Formation and Competition Mechanism of Polyhydroxy Natural Products: Cases of Quercetin, Hesperidin, Resveratrol, and Curcumin

Uncovering Cocrystal Formation and Competition Mechanism of Polyhydroxy Natural Products: Cases of Quercetin, Hesperidin, Resveratrol, and Curcumin

White-green photoluminescence of manganese(II) complexes with pyrazolo[1,5-a][1,10]phenanthroline-3-carbonitrile

Five manganese(II) complexes with a bidentate pyrazolo[1,5-a][1,10]phenanthroline-3-carbonitrile ligand (L) have been prepared and their structures have been determined. The anion effect on the structural diversity of the complexes has been studied using manganese(II) salts with different anions such as Cl¯, ClO4¯, and Ts¯. A reaction between manganese(II) chloride and L in organic solvents leads to complexes [MnL2Cl2]·xCH2Cl2 (1) and [Mn2L2(H2O)Cl4]·L (2), the use of manganese(II) tosylate in the rection yields in [MnL(H2O)3Ts]Ts·L·H2O (3) and [MnL(H2O)3Ts]Ts (4), and finally, in the case of manganese(II) perchlorate [MnL2(H2O)2](ClO4)2·L (5) is formed. According to the single-crystal X-ray analysis the coordination environment of the Mn(II) ions in the complexes is a distorted octahedron with MnN4Cl2 (1), MnN2O4 (3) and MnN4O2 (5) chromophores; the complex 2 is binuclear, in which two manganese atoms have different coordination geometries – distorted octahedron (MnN2Cl3O) and square pyramid (MnN2Cl3). Chloride ions are coordinated anions; perchlorate ions are in the outer coordination sphere. Tosylate ions can play both coordinating and non-coordinating roles in complexes. X-ray analysis shows that in 2 and 5 one molecule of L has no bonds with manganese atoms, and reveals only intermolecular interactions through π-π stacking. This leads to the formation of cocrystals [Mn2L2(H2O)Cl4]·L or [MnL2(H2O)2](ClO4)2·L, that affects the photophysical properties of these compounds. In order to compare the effect of L coordination on the photoluminescence properties of manganese(II) complexes, the complexes [Mn(phen)3](ClO4)2·xSolv with unsubstituted 1,10-phenanthroline have been synthesized. In contrast to [MnL2(H2O)2](ClO4)2·L, the 1,10-phenanthroline-based compound [Mn(phen)3](ClO4)2·H2O has no emission. Complexes 1, 3, 4 and 5 exhibit a white-green emission in the microsecond range with maxima at 530–565 nm in the solid state, and the photoluminescence properties of 5 are studied in solution.

A Broadened Class of Donor-Acceptor Stacked Macrometallacyclic Adducts of Different Coinage Metals.

A yet-outstanding supramolecular chemistry challenge is isolation of novel varieties of stacked complexes with finely-tuned donor-acceptor bonding and optoelectronic properties, as herein reported for binary adducts comprising two different cyclic trinuclear complexes (CTC@CTC'). Most previous attempts focused only on 1-2 factors among metal/ligand/substituent combinations, resulting in heterobimetallic complexes. Instead, here we show that, when all 3 factors are carefully considered, a broadened variety of CTC@CTC' stacked pairs with intuitively-enhanced intertrimer coordinate-covalent bonding strength and ligand-ligand/metal-ligand dispersion are attained (dM-M' 2.868(2) Å; ΔE>50 kcal/mol, an order of magnitude higher than aurophilic/metallophilic interactions). Significantly, CTC@CTC' pairs remain intact/strongly-bound even in solution (Keq 4.67×105 L/mol via NMR/UV-vis titrations), and the gas phase (mass spectrometry revealing molecular peaks for the entire CTC@CTC' units in sublimed samples), rather than simple co-crystal formation. Photo-/electro-luminescence studies unravel metal-centered phosphorescence useful for novel all metal-organic light-emitting diodes (MOLEDs) optoelectronic device concepts. This work manifests systematic design of supramolecular bonding and multi-faceted spectral properties of pure metal-organic macrometallacyclic donor/acceptor (inorganic/inorganic) stacks with remarkably-rich optoelectronic properties akin to well-established organic/organic and organic/inorganic analogues.

A Highly Electrostrictive Salt Cocrystal and the Piezoelectric Nanogenerator Application of Its 3D-Printed Polymer Composite.

Ionic cocrystals with hydrogen bonding can form exciting materials with enhanced optical and electronic properties. We present a highly moisture-stable ammonium salt cocrystal [CH3C6H4CH(CH3)NH2][CH3C6H4CH(CH3)NH3][PF6] ((p-TEA)(p-TEAH)·PF6) crystallizing in the polar monoclinic C2 space group. The asymmetry in (p-TEA)(p-TEAH)·PF6 was induced by its chiral substituents, while the polar order and structural stability were achieved by using the octahedral PF6- anion and the consequent formation of salt cocrystal. The ferroelectric properties of (p-TEA)(p-TEAH)·PF6 were confirmed through P-E loop measurements. Piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) enabled the visualization of its domain structure with characteristic "butterfly" and hysteresis loops associated with ferro- and piezoelectric properties. Notably, (p-TEA)(p-TEAH)·PF6 exhibits a large electrostrictive coefficient (Q33) value of 2.02 m4 C-2, higher than those found for ceramic-based materials and comparable to that of polyvinylidene difluoride. Furthermore, the composite films of (p-TEA)(p-TEAH)·PF6 with polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer and its gyroid-shaped 3D-printed composite scaled-up device, 3DP-Gy, were prepared and evaluated for piezoelectric energy-harvesting functionality. A high output voltage of 22.8 V and a power density of 118.5 μW cm-3 have been recorded for the 3DP-Gy device. Remarkably, no loss in voltage outputs was observed for the (p-TEA)(p-TEAH)·PF6 devices even after exposure to 99% relative humidity, showcasing their utility under extremely humid conditions.

Flavone Cocrystals: A Comprehensive Approach Integrating Experimental and Virtual Methods.

The dapsone/flavone cocrystal system served as a benchmark for both experimental and virtual screening methods. Expanding beyond this, two additional active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), sulfanilamide and sulfaguanidine, structurally related to dapsone were chosen to investigate the impact of substituents on cocrystal formation. The experimental screening involved mechanochemical methods, slurry experiments, hot-melt extrusion, and the contact preparation method. The virtual screening focused on crystal structure prediction (CSP), molecular complementarity, hydrogen-bond propensity, and molecular electrostatic potentials. The CSP studies not only indicated that each of the three APIs should form cocrystals with flavone but also reproduced the known single- and multicomponent phases. Experimentally, dapsone/flavone cocrystals ACC, BCC, CCC, and DCC were reproduced, CCC was identified as a nonstoichiometric hydrate, and a fifth cocrystal (ECC), a t-butanol solvate, was discovered. The cocrystal polymorphs ACC and BCC are enantiotripically related, and DCC, exhibiting a different stoichiometric ratio, is enthalpically stabilized over the other cocrystals. For the sulfaguanidine/flavone system, two novel, enantiotripically related cocrystals were identified. The crystal structures of two cocrystals and a flavone polymorph were solved from powder X-ray diffraction data, and the stability of all cocrystals was assessed through differential scanning calorimetry and lattice energy calculations. Despite computational indications, a diverse array of cocrystallization techniques did not result in a sulfanilamide/flavone cocrystal. The driving force behind dapsone's tendency to cocrystallize with flavone can be attributed to the overall strength of flavone interactions in the cocrystals. For sulfaguanidine, the potential to form strong API···API and API···coformer interactions in the cocrystal is a contributing factor. Furthermore, flavone was found to be trimorphic.

Enhanced dissolution of curcumin-resorcinol cocrystal by the inhibition effect of HPMCAS on solution-mediated phase transformation

The present study aimed to investigate the inhibition effect of polymers on the solution-mediated phase transformation (SMPT) of cocrystals during dissolution. Curcumin-resorcinol (CUR-RES) cocrystal was prepared by slow solvent evaporation, and the best precipitation inhibitor of curcumin (CUR) was selected from five polymers including hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) E5, HPMC E50, Poloxamer 188 (P188) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 by solvent-shift precipitation test. Then non-sink dissolution tests and intrinsic dissolution rate (IDR) tests were performed with or without HPMCAS to explore the influence of HPMCAS on the dissolution of the cocrystal. It was showed that HPMCAS could effectively inhibit the crystallization of CUR so that the dissolved drug concentration in a predissolved 0.1 % HPMCAS solution at 2 h was nearly 15 μg/mL, which was at least 150 times higher than that without HPMCAS. The red CUR-RES cocrystal turned gradually to yellow CUR during the dissolution tests in the absence of HPMCAS, while the transformation was prevented in the presence of HPMCAS. The present work fully exploits the solubility advantages of CUR-RES cocrystal via the use of precipitation inhibitor and offers important insights into reducing the risk of SMPT during cocrystal dissolution, which is crucial for the development of pharmaceutical cocrystal formulations.

A Population Pharmacokinetic Study to Compare a Novel Empagliflozin L-Proline Formulation with Its Conventional Formulation in Healthy Subjects.

Empagliflozin is a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that is commonly used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). CKD-370 was newly developed as a cocrystal formulation of empagliflozin with co-former L-proline, which has been confirmed to be bioequivalent in South Korea. This study aimed to quantify the differences in the absorption phase and pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of two empagliflozin formulations in healthy subjects by using population PK analysis. The plasma concentration data of empagliflozin were obtained from two randomized, open-label, crossover, phase 1 clinical studies in healthy Korean subjects after a single-dose administration. A population PK model was constructed by using a nonlinear mixed-effects (NLME) approach (Monolix Suite 2021R1). Interindividual variability (IIV) and interoccasion variability (IOV) were investigated. The final model was evaluated by goodness-of-fit (GOF) diagnostic plots, visual predictive checks (VPCs), prediction errors, and bootstrapping. The PK of empagliflozin was adequately described with a two-compartment combined transit compartment model with first-order absorption and elimination. Log-transformed body weight significantly influenced systemic clearance (CL) and the volume of distribution in the peripheral compartment (V2) of empagliflozin. GOF plots, VPCs, prediction errors, and the bootstrapping of the final model suggested that the proposed model was adequate and robust, with good precision at different dose strengths. The cocrystal form did not affect the absorption phase of the drug, and the PK parameters were not affected by the different treatments.

Exploring the formation and diversity of secnidazole cocrystals

This study investigates the cocrystallization of secnidazole (SNZ), a potent antimicrobial drug, with several coformers, overcoming the inherent stability challenges posed by its hemihydrate form to produce novel solid states. We successfully synthesized and characterized three novel cocrystals with carvacrol (CAR), fumaric acid (FMA), and 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (DNZ), employing synchrotron single crystal analysis to elucidate their structures. The application of Hirshfeld surface and 2D fingerprint plots further enriched our understanding of the unique packing arrangements within these cocrystals. Moreover, preliminary powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns hinted at the emergence of additional novel solid forms with salicylic acid (SLC), oxalic acid (OXA), succinic acid (SUC), citric acid (CTR), and thymol (THY). Supported by literature and a thorough analysis of molecular interactions, we propose the existence of pharmaceutical cocrystals among these newly identified solid forms. Our findings not only augment the repertoire of SNZ based pharmaceuticals but also accentuates the strategic utilization of supramolecular synthons, offering significant advancements in the understanding of novel solid form formation, and the critical role of hydrogen bonding in these processes.

A Novel Cocrystal of Daidzein with Piperazine to Optimize the Solubility, Permeability and Bioavailability of Daidzein.

It is well known that daidzein has various significant medicinal values and health benefits, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, cholesterol lowering, neuroprotective, cardioprotective and so on. To our disappointment, poor solubility, low permeability and inferior bioavailability seriously limit its clinical application and market development. To optimize the solubility, permeability and bioavailability of daidzein, the cocrystal of daidzein and piperazine was prepared through a scientific and reasonable design, which was thoroughly characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Combining single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis with theoretical calculation, detailed structural information on the cocrystal was clarified and validated. In addition, a series of evaluations on the pharmacogenetic properties of the cocrystal were investigated. The results indicated that the cocrystal of daidzein and piperazine possessed the favorable stability, increased solubility, improved permeability and optimized bioavailability of daidzein. Compared with the parent drug, the formation of cocrystal, respectively, resulted in 3.9-, 3.1-, 4.9- and 60.8-fold enhancement in the solubility in four different media, 4.8-fold elevation in the permeability and 3.2-fold in the bioavailability of daidzein. Targeting the pharmaceutical defects of daidzein, the surprising elevation in the solubility, permeability and bioavailability of daidzein was realized by a clever cocrystal strategy, which not only devoted assistance to the market development and clinical application of daidzein but also paved a new path to address the drug-forming defects of insoluble drugs.

Investigation of the structure and multi-stimuli-responsive behavior of ion-associated salt solvates of binary crystals

Investigation of the intermolecular interactions and crystal packing to understand crystal growth is a prime objective of crystal engineering. Solvent molecules within crystal assist the supramolecular aggregation, however, control over their lattice incorporation remains uncertain. In this work, we report three solvates of an ionic organic salt of a diazo-naphthol sulfonate (1) and 1,10-phenanthroline with one (2), three (3) and four (4) lattice water molecules. Attempts to isolate the dihydrate form were unsuccessful, while the monohydrate of 1 has been crystallised for comparative structural investigations. Structural studies reveal the existence of intriguing sulfonate-diazo intermolecular interactions responsible for centrosymmetric dimerization of the organosulfonate 1, which also persist in 2–4, validating higher preference and robustness of the synthon. Repetitive aggregation of the sulfonate-diazo interaction in 1 leads to the formation of linear π-stacked aggregate, which further aggregates through the lattice water molecules. The structural comparison indicates the preferential formation of the organo-sulfonate dimers in hydrated salts 2–4. Further, sandwich tetramers in 2 and 4 are formed by charge transfer interaction of the organo-sulfonate dimers with pyridinium coformer on either side, which are further associated by the lattice water molecules into disparately packed 3-dimensional supramolecules. The organo-sulfonates in 3 form a similar type of extended π-stacked chains as in 1, which are flanked by pyridinium ions to form hydrogen-bonded tapes, which are helped by the lattice water molecules to grow as segregated stacked layer solid. The characteristic absorption frequency of the diazo functionality is blue-shifted in infrared spectra of the cocrystal forms, indicating the presence of charge transfer interactions. The presence of dynamic solvent and protons in the lattice makes the solid forms multi-stimuli-responsive to exhibit mechano and vapochromic response. These phenomena have been studied in detail with the help of thermal, spectroscopic, and powder-diffraction studies.

In Silico Coformer Screening for Mefenamic Acid Cocrystallization

Cocrystallization is a widely used approach to enhance the solubility and dissolution characteristics of poorly soluble drugs. A pharmaceutical cocrystal is a multicomponent system composed of a solid active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and a coformer, governed by non-covalent interactions. Screening for suitable coformers is essential to obtain an optimal cocrystal for specific drugs. This study aims to determine the drug-coformer interactions to select the most suitable coformer for cocrystal formation using the molecular docking method. Mefenamic acid, classified as a class II drug in the biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS), was used as the model drug. Two-dimensional structures of mefenamic acid (PubChem CID: 4044) and potential coformers were sourced from PubChem. Geometric optimization of all compounds was performed using GaussView 5.0.8 and Gaussian09 with the 3-21G basis set and Density Functional Theory (DFT) B3LYP method. The optimized compounds were prepared by adding hydrogen atoms and calculating Kollman partial charges using AutoDock 4.2. A grid box of size 40 Å × 40 Å × 40 Å was generated, with a maximum radius of 0.375 Å set as the surface distance in each simulation. A hundred conformations were run using the Lamarckian Genetic Algorithm. Interaction types and binding energies were analyzed using VMD 1.9.2 and BIOVIA Discovery Studio 2020 to compare interactions between mefenamic acid and each coformer. The results revealed that most coformer compounds formed interactions with mefenamic acid via hydrogen bonding and π–interactions. Saccharin demonstrated the most optimal interaction with mefenamic acid, with a binding free energy of –3.1 kcal/mol. Saccharin was identified as the most suitable coformer for mefenamic acid cocrystal formation based on the molecular docking study. Further experimental validation of saccharin is recommended to confirm its effectiveness in cocrystallization with mefenamic acid.

Cocrystal Prediction Based on Deep Forest Model—A Case Study of Febuxostat

To aid cocrystal screening, a deep forest-based cocrystal prediction model was developed in this study using data from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). The positive samples in the experiment came from the CSD. The negative samples were partly from the failure records in other papers, and some were randomly generated according to specific rules, resulting in a total of 8576 pairs. Compared with the models of traditional machine learning methods and simple deep neural networks models, the deep forest model has better performance and faster training speed. The accuracy is about 95% on the test set. Febuxostat cocrystal screening was also tested to verify the validity of the model. Our model correctly predicted the formation of cocrystal. It shows that our model is practically useful in practice.