Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, Vol.275, 271-291, 1996
Experimental-Data and Modeling of the Interactions in Solid-State and in Solution Between (R)N-Acetyl-Alpha-Methylbenzylamine and (S)N-Acetyl-Alpha-Methylbenzylamine - Influence on Resolution by Preferential Crystallization
The binary phase diagram between (R) and (S) N-acetyl-alpha-methylbenzylamine has been established by using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. Up to 337 K, the two enantiomers form an eutectic mixture without partial solid solution (i.e. conglomerate). At 337 K, the eutectoid equilibrium conglomerate <-> racemate (Delta H greater than or equal to 1.25kJ . mol(-1)) is observed. Several hypotheses are made about the upper part (T>340 K) of the binary diagram to explain the complex succession of stable and metastable thermal phenomena. The structures of enantiomer and metastable racemate have been solved by X-ray diffraction on single crystals at 293 K. Infinite Chains of H-bonded Molecules (CHBMs) exist in the two structures : isotactic in enantiomer and syndiotactic in racemate. M.O. calculations (PM3) show that conformation of the molecule in enantiomer structure is more stable by 9.4 kJ . mol(-1) than the conformation of the molecule in racemate. The other energy differences (H-bonds and van der Waals contacts) between the two structures do not reverse the order of relative stabilities. Two isothermal solubility studies at 273 K and 287 K have been carried out in the system : (R)-(S)-toluene and in the system : (R)-(S)-acetonitrile. In toluene, a significant departure from the ideal behaviour appears when temperature increases from 273 K upwards. A hypothesis involving a dynamic equilibrium between solvated CHBMs containing n monomers is postulated, the n value being dependent on the temperature and nature of the solvent. The more the optical purity departs from 100%, the more atactic the CHBMs and the weaker the interactions between these chains. The strength of the interactions between CHBMs versus the optical purity and the temperature seems to be responsible for the departure from the ideal behaviour. The homogeneous nucleation of the metastable racemate at 293 K, in highly supersaturated racemic solution, is discussed in terms of diffusion of molecules in solution.