Franck Mallet

Influence of ageing, grinding and preheating on the thermal behaviour of α-lactose monohydrate

It is shown that the onset temperature and the magnitude of thermal events observed during DSC analyses of alpha-lactose monohydrate can be strongly affected by various treatments such as ageing, manual grinding and preheating (cycle of preliminary dehydration and rehydration). In the case of grinding and preheating, the change of dehydration pathways was further investigated by using a suitable combination of characterization techniques, including X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) performed with a synchrotron source (allowing an accurate Rietveld analysis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser particle size measurements, FTIR spectroscopy and (1)H NMR for the determination of beta-lactose contents in samples. It appeared that the dehydration mechanism is affected not only by a smaller particle size distribution, but also by residual anisotropic lattice distortions and by the formation of surface defects or high energy surfaces. The fusion-recrystallization process occurring between anhydrous forms of alpha-lactose at ca. 170 degrees C is not significantly affected by grinding, whereas a preheating treatment induces an unexpected large increase of the enthalpy associated with this transition. Our observations and interpretations confirm the important role of water molecules in the crystal cohesion of the title compound and illustrate the necessity to consider the history of each sample for a satisfactory understanding of the physical properties and the behaviour of this important pharmaceutical excipient.

Solvent exchanges among molecular compounds

Solid-solid transformations between solvates of pharmaceutical compounds are investigated under various conditions. In the case of Roxithromycin, it is shown that starting from single crystals of the acetonitrile solvate, a transformation towards the monohydrate occurs according to a cooperative mechanism. This smooth exchange of solvent probably involves a transport of matter within channels, and the comparison of crystal structures is consistent with the persistence of the main features of the 3D lattice. By contrast, starting from the DMSO solvate of Dexamethasone acetate, the transformation towards the sesquihydrated form, induced by the immersion of the DMSO solvate in water, is fully destructive and reconstructive. This occurs far-from-equilibrium and is therefore controlled by kinetic factors. The existence of an intermediate liquid phase within the particle is postulated to account for the appearance of whisker-like crystals growing first on high-energy sites of the former particle. An extended analysis of these transformations between solvates shows that they could be classified according to rules previously proposed in the case of desolvation mechanisms.