Crystallisation of multicomponent crystals by sublimation: effect of experimental conditions

Date
2023-10
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis aimed to develop a greater understanding of important principles behind the technique of sublimation and demonstrate how we can gain control over the technique to selectively form multicomponent crystal forms, such as hydrates, co-crystals, and salts. This aim was attained by carrying out two studies. The first study focused on investigating whether hydrates of oxalic acid (1), isonicotinamide (2), theophylline (3), caffeine (4), and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (5) can be grown by sublimation. Compounds 1-5 were sublimed in the presence and absence of water. An increase in the quantity of water added to the sublimation vessel resulted in an increase in the water content of sublimed crystals. Hydrates of 1 and 5 were easily crystallised from the gas phase in the presence of water. Competition experiments were carried out by co- subliming an anhydrous material and a hydrate, and water transfer took place from the hydrate to the anhydrous material. This study has shown that materials which have the most favourable interactions between the molecule in question and water within the hydrate crystal structure are more likely to crystallise as the hydrate from sublimation with water. The second study focused on investigating the effect of sublimation time, vacuum pressure, temperature, separation apparatus, mass scale, additives, and co-former polymorph on the co-sublimation of two systems: system 1 = succinic acid + hexamethylenetetramine and system 2 = oxalic acid + 4,4'-bipyridine. A salt formed under higher temperature and lower pressure conditions, and co-crystal was favoured under a reduced temperature and higher pressure. Separating the acid and base components prior to sublimation allowed for more control over the concentration of components in the gas phase. Sublimation conditions under which the concentration of acid and base component in the gas phase is maximised are more likely to result in salt formation. In the presence of additives, co-crystal formation was favoured during co-sublimations of system 1. In system 2, salt formation was favoured in the presence of methanol. Results suggest that the type and quantity of additive added to the sublimation vessel can be used to control the outcome of co-sublimations. These studies have shown that simple experimental conditions can be used to gain control over the method of sublimation, and can be used tomanipulate the concentration of components in the gas phase to selectively form salts or co-crystals. The effect of polymorph used during the co-sublimation of system 1 was studied. Sublimation with the β polymorph of succinic acid favoured the formation of co-crystal. It is clear that the use of a specific co-former polymorph can be used to direct the co-sublimation outcome. Overall, this thesis has provided a good foundational understanding of the important principles of the technique of sublimation, and has successfully demonstrated the importance of simple experimental conditions in multicomponent crystal growth from the gas phase. We believe that this simple approach towards gaining control over a crystallisation technique to form a desired product has broadened the scope of sublimation as a whole and will aid the development and design of new materials.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis het ten doel gehad om 'n groter begrip van belangrike beginsels agter die tegniek van sublimasie te ontwikkel en te demonstreer hoe ons beheer kan verkry oor die tegniek om selektief multikomponent kristalvorme te vorm, soos hidrate, ko-kristalle en soute. Hierdie doel is bereik deur twee studies uit te voer. Die eerste studie het daarop gefokus om te ondersoek of hidrate van oksaalsuur (1), isonikotinamied (2), teofillien (3), kafeïen (4) en 1,4-diazabisiklo[2.2.2]oktaan (5) deur sublimasie gegroei kan word. Verbindings 1-5 is gesublimeer in die teenwoordigheid en afwesigheid van water. Toename in die hoeveelheid water wat by die sublimasiehouer gevoeg is, het gelei tot 'n toename in die waterinhoud van die gesublimeerde kristalle. Hidrate van 1 en 5 is maklik gegroei deur sublimasie in die teenwoordigheid van water. Kompetisie- eksperimente het getoon dat water van 'n hidraat na 'n watervryemateriaal oorgedra kan word. Oor die algemeen het hierdie studie getoon dat materiale wat die gunstigste interaksies het tussen die betrokke molekule en water binne die hidraatkristalstruktuur meer geneig is om as die hidraat te kristalliseer deur die sublimasie daarvan met water. Die tweede studie het gefokus op die ondersoek van die effek van sublimasietyd, vakuumdruk, temperatuur, skeidingsapparaat, massaskaal, bymiddels en medevormer polimorf op die ko-sublimasie van twee sisteme: sisteem 1 = barnsteensuur + heksametieleentetramien en sisteem 2 = oksaalsuur + 4,4'-bipiridien. Soute het onder hoër temperatuur en laer druk toestande gevorm, en medekristal is bevoordeel onder 'n verlaagde temperatuur en hoër druk. Die skeiding van die suur- en basiskomponente voor sublimasie het meer beheer oor die konsentrasie van komponente in die gasfase moontlik gemaak. Sublimasietoestande waaronder die konsentrasie van suur- en basiskomponent in die gasfase gemaksimeer word, sal meer waarskynlik soutvorming tot gevolg hê. In die teenwoordigheid van bymiddels is ko-kristalle bevoordeel tydens ko-sublimasies van sisteem 1. In sisteem 2 is sout bevoordeel in die teenwoordigheid van metanol. Resultate dui daarop dat die tipe en molêre hoeveelheid bymiddel wat by die sublimasievat gevoeg word, gebruik kan word om die uitkoms van ko-sublimasies te beheer. Hierdie studies het getoon dat eenvoudige eksperimentele toestande gebruik kan word om beheer oor die metode van sublimasie te verkry, en kan gebruik word om die konsentrasie van komponente in die gasfase temanipuleer om selektief soute of ko-kristalle te vorm. Die effek van biesiesuur polimorf wat tydens die ko- sublimasie van sisteem 1 gebruik is, is bestudeer. Sublimasie met die β-polimorf van barnsteensuur het die vorming van mede-kristal bevoordeel. Dit is duidelik dat die gebruik van 'n spesifieke medevormer polimorf gebruik kan word om die ko-sublimasie uitkoms te rig. Oor die algemeen het hierdie tesis 'n goeie grondslag verskaf van die belangrike beginsels van die tegniek van sublimasie, en het die belangrikheid van eenvoudige eksperimentele toestande en die effek daarvan op multikomponent kristalgroei vanaf die gasfase suksesvol gedemonstreer. Ons glo dat hierdie eenvoudige benadering tot die verkryging van beheer oor 'n kristallisasietegniek om 'n gewenste produk te vorm sublimasie as 'n geheel verbreed het en kan help met die ontwikkeling en ontwerp van nuwe materiale.
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Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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