A new polymorph of metacetamol

Abstract

Metacetamol is a structural isomer of the widely used drug paracetamol and is being considered as a promising alternative to the latter because of its lower toxicity. Due to the importance of the well-known polymorphism of paracetamol, an investigation of the polymorphism of metacetamol was successfully undertaken. A new polymorph of metacetamol has been discovered and extensively characterised using a variety of analytical techniques (IR- and Raman spectroscopy, UV-visible optical spectroscopy, X-ray powder and single-crystal diffraction, TGA and DSC). A procedure for the reliable and reproducible preparation of the new polymorph is described. Its properties and crystal structure are compared with those of the previously known polymorph, as well as with those of paracetamol.