Ampicillin trihydrate from synchrotron powder diffraction data

Abstract

The crystal structure of ampicillin trihydrate {systematic name: 6-[D(-)-α-aminophenylacetamido]penicillanic acid trihydrate}, C 16H19N3O4S·3H2O, a broad-spectrum βlactam antibiotic of the aminopenicillin type, has been determined from synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. The three water molecules form an infinite hydrogen-bonded chain through the crystal structure, with hydrogen bonds to the NH3+, COO-, C=O and NH groups of the ampicillin molecules. © 2006 International Union of Crystallography All rights reserved.