The fact that molecular crystals exist as different polymorphic modifications and the identification of as many polymorphs as possible are important considerations for the pharmaceutic industry. The molecule of N-benzyl-4-hydroxy-1-methyl-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ(6),1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide, C17H16N2O4S, does not contain a stereogenic atom, but intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions engender enantiomeric chiral conformations as a labile racemic mixture. The title compound crystallized in a solvent-dependent single chiral conformation within one of two conformationally polymorphic P212121 orthorhombic chiral crystals (denoted forms A and B). Each of these pseudo-enantiomorphic crystals contains one of two pseudo-enantiomeric diastereomers. Form A was obtained from methylene chloride and form B can be crystallized from N,N-dimethylformamide, ethanol, ethyl acetate or xylene. Pharmacological studies with solid-particulate suspensions have shown that crystalline form A exhibits an almost fourfold higher antinociceptive activity compared to form B.
Keywords: 2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide; analgesic activity; antinociceptive activity; chiral crystals; crystal structure; pharmaceutical compound; pharmacological study.