Kinetics of the mechanically induced ibuprofen-nicotinamide co-crystal formation by in-situ X-ray diffraction

Mechanochemistry is drawing the attention of the pharmaceutical industry given its potential for sustainable material synthesis and manufacture. Scaling mechanochemical processes to the industry level remains a challenge due to the incomplete understanding of their underlying mechanisms. We show how time-resolved in situ powder X-ray diffraction data, coupled with analytical kinetic modelling, is crucial for gaining deeper insight into mechanochemical reactions. By using the ibuprofen-nicotinamide co-crystal mechanosynthesis as a benchmark system, we investigate the behaviour of the solids involved and identify the factors promoting the reaction. With this chemistry becoming increasingly clear, we believe that mechanochemistry may soon represent a breakthrough in the industrial preparation of pharmaceuticals.