Structural Characterization of Co-Crystals of Chlordiazepoxide with p-Aminobenzoic Acid and Lorazepam with Nicotinamide by DSC, X-ray Diffraction, FTIR and Raman Spectroscopy
Patrycja Garbacz, Dominik Paukszta, Artur Sikorski, Marek Wesołowski
Abstract
The low water solubility of benzodiazepines seriously affects their bioavailability and, in consequence, their biological activity. Since co-crystallization has been found to be a promising way to modify undesirable properties in active pharmaceutical ingredients, the objective of this study was to prepare co-crystals of two benzodiazepines, chlordiazepoxide and lorazepam. Using different co-crystallization procedures, slurry evaporation and liquid-assisted grinding, co-crystals of chlordiazepoxide with p-aminobenzoic acid and lorazepam with nicotinamide were prepared for the first time. Confirmation that co-crystals were obtained was achieved through a comparison of the data acquired for both co-crystals using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, with comparisons acquired for the physical mixtures of both benzodiazepines and coformers. The compatibility of PXRD patterns of both benzodiazepines co-crystals with those contained in the base Powder Diffraction File (PDF-4+) suggests that new crystal structures were indeed created under the co-crystallization procedure. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that a chlordiazepoxide co-crystal with p-aminobenzoic acid and a lorazepam co-crystal with nicotinamide crystallized in the monoclinic P21/n and P21/c space group, respectively, with one molecule of benzodiazepine and one of coformer in the asymmetric unit. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy corroborated that benzodiazepine and coformer are linked by a hydrogen bond without proton exchange. Furthermore, a DSC study revealed that single endothermic DSC peaks assigned to the melting of co-crystals differ slightly depending on the co-crystallization procedures and solvent used, as well as differing from those of starting components.