Structural Characterization of Pharmaceutical Cocrystals with the Use of Laboratory X-ray Powder Diffraction Patterns

Abstract

X-ray powder diffraction is a vital analytical tool that is used in pharmaceutical science. It is increasingly used to establish the crystal structure of a new pharmaceutical substance, in particular, cocrystal or its polymorphic forms. This review begins with a brief discussion of the reliability of the structural parameters retrieved from powder patterns. Recent examples of the successful determination of crystal structures of pharmaceutical cocrystals and salts from powder diffraction data are discussed. These examples show the increased capabilities of laboratory X-ray powder diffractometers and modern software in solving actual problems of pharmaceutical science.