Crystallization: from molecules to crystal structures

Abstract

The article starts with a timeline of important discoveries in the field of inclusion compounds, together with other significant related events including their references. The article finishes with the list of meetings, which deal with various aspects of inclusion compounds. These historical overviews already enlighten, why on the one hand it is important for students and professors to have this article in their collection. On the other hand, the review presents in detail the structural features and physicochemical properties of solid inclusion compounds and the complementary analytical techniques used for their investigation. The composition and stoichiometry of inclusion compounds are not neces-sarily invariant, they depend on the synthetic method, the solvent used, the temperature of crystallization, the pressure during the synthesis if it is performed in a sealed container, decomposi-tion ‘Crystallisation of organic materials from the solution phase: a molecular, synthonic and crystallographic perspective’ is a must read for everyone who has ever or will deal with crystallization of organic materials in theory or practice, in academia or industry. The article presents a holistic approach of crystallization based on the material science tetra-hedron concept attentive to the interdependent relationship between material structure, properties, performance and processing. First, we get familiar with the key factors related to the crystal structure: molecular structure, intermolecular interactions, synthon formation, polymorphism, lattice energy, crystal morphology and surface chemistry. Then the crystallization process is described from nucleation to crystal growth detailing the role of solubility, supersaturation and solute clastering; followed by stages of the crystal growth process and nature of the crystal/solution interface, the crystal growth mechanisms and growth stability. The last chapter is dedicated to the product design through the crystallization process design by selected examples of compounds, to the control of crystallinity and polymorphic form, crystal size and morphology, crystal purity and agglomeration. The review provides a knowledge route-map of crystallization of organic materials along with case studies proving how the crystallization process can be manipulated to produce crystalline materials with targeted physical–chemical properties. published by Springer Nature Singapore in 2019. The volume covers the wide variety of compounds isolated from different plants used in the treatment of various diseases like inflammation, diabetes, malaria, cancer, hormonal problems, cardiovascular or kidney diseases. It provides an overview of compound groups that have good bioactivity and details the reaction mechanism to the intended target and can be used as an illus-tration of the development of bioactive compounds in the future, and especially the role of crystallography in drug design. The book discusses chemical structures, information from isolation techniques, through nanotechnology of nanoparticles, to pharmacology. A comparison of conventional and the newest, more environmentally friendly extraction methods is presented, and there is an outlook to the future opportunities of extraction of new biologically active compounds.