posted on 2020-03-09, 20:13authored byRicardo
G. Simões, Cátia S.
D. Lopes, M. Fátima M. Piedade, Carlos E. S. Bernardes, Hermínio
P. Diogo, Manuel E. Minas da Piedade
Compounds
based on the HOC6H4C(O)R (R = H,
alkyl, OH, etc.) framework have provided excellent models to investigate
the complex interplay of structural and energetic effects behind polymorphism
and crystallization as a whole. In this work, the polymorphic behavior
of 4′-hydroxyvalerophenone (HVP, R = C4H9) was experimentally and theoretically explored from a holistic structural–energetics–dynamics
perspective. The molecular and crystal structures of two new forms
(II and III) were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.
They share with the previously known form I, and with analogous systems
(R = H, CH3) that do not contain a flexible R group, an
infinite C11(8) chain sustained by “head-to-tail”
OH···OC hydrogen bonds as the main one-dimensional
(1D) packing motif. The molecular organization within the chain (“herringbone”
type in form I and planar in forms II and III) and the relative orientation
of the CO and OH groups (Z in form I and E in forms II and III) are, however, different. These differences
are reflected by the thermodynamic and kinetic relationships between
the three polymorphs. Differential scanning calorimetry and microscopy
experiments revealed that (i) the structurally very similar III/II
pair is enantiotropically related by a fast and reversible phase transition
at 247.5 ± 0.4 K. (ii) In contrast, the form II → form
I transition is severely hindered, and, although form II is monotropic
relative to form I, it can be observed to melt upon heating, or stored
for days at ambient pressure and temperature without signs of transformation
to form I, unless subjected to a perturbation (e.g., scratching, grinding).
These findings are consistent with microscopy and molecular dynamics
(MD) simulation results, suggesting that the III → II transition
occurs by a concerted displacement of the molecules in the crystal
lattice, while the II → I process is compatible with a diffusive
nucleation and growth mechanism. It was also found that, despite being
metastable, form II preferentially crystallizes from the melt in accordance
with Ostwald’s rule of stages. MD simulations indicated that
this observation is most likely originated by the fact that the structure
of liquid HVP is much closer to form II than to form I. Finally, a
thermodynamic analysis suggested that the relative stability of the
three HVP polymorphs, at 298 K, ranked in terms of Gibbs energy (I
> II > III) does not follow the corresponding lattice enthalpy
trend
(I > III > II). This stresses the importance of accounting for
entropy
contributions when discussing polymorph stability.