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We propose the use of solid solutions for the modulation of the kinetic in [2+2] photocycloaddition. Solid solutions with general formula [1H]BrxCl1‒x (1 = 4-amino-cinnamic acid; 0 < x < 1) were prepared via mechanochemical methods, structurally characterized, and found to undergo a single-crystal-to-single-crystal [2+2] photodimerization. The effect of the solid solutions composition on the kinetics was successfully investigated via a combination of FTIR and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and the results were compared with those obtained for the parent materials [1H]Cl and [1H]Br. All systems follow the same nearly first-order law, and the overall reaction kinetics is influenced by a subtle interplay of structural and electronic factors as well as other processes regulating the formation and lifetime of the reacting excimer.

The structure of folic acid dihydrate has been investigated in the solid state by means of a synergistic approach combining Raman spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and cutting-edge calculation methods. The comparison of the computed and measured Raman spectra was used to support the finding of a new crystalline form. Crystalline folic acid·2H2O has also been used in the preparation, via solvent free methods, of amorphous multicomponent materials and salts by reacting folic acid with LiOH, NaOH, Na2CO3, and Ca(OH)2, which were also investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and intrinsic dissolution rate, and this has been compared with the values of the native vitamin. The preparation and characterization of the amorphous, hydrated adduct with LiCl is also reported.

A set of molecular salts with general formula [1H]nA·xH2O (1 = 4-amino-cinnamic acid, A(n-) = NO3(-), BF4(-), PF6(-), SO4(2-), x = 0, 1) was prepared and structurally characterized. [1H]Cl and [1H]2SO4·H2O(II) were found to undergo an SCSC stepwise [2+2] photodimerization, which was followed by X-ray diffraction; a kinetic analysis was performed on single crystals of both salts. In the case of [1H]Cl the photoreaction was also studied on polycrystalline materials.

The preparation and characterization of a whole family of hydrated ionic co-crystals formed by both enantiopure l-proline and racemic dl-proline with LiX (X=Cl, Br, I) are reported. The chiral preference of the lithium cation for homochiral coordination, both in the formation of crystalline conglomerates (with Cl and Br) and racemates (with Cl and I), in which molecules of opposite chirality are confined to distinct crystal layers, is discussed. Dehydration processes for all hydrated crystals have also been investigated.

A smart ionic co-crystal of urea with KCl and ZnCl2 has been obtained in two polymorphic modifications via mechanochemical and solution methods and proven to be a very efficient urease inhibitor while, simultaneously, able to provide soil nutrients to complement N supply.

In this highlight, the reasons for the widespread interest generated by ionic co-crystals, namely those formed by a neutral molecule and a salt, are addressed. In particular, the class of compounds obtained by co-crystallization of neutral organic molecules and inorganic salts (e.g. alkali and alkaline earth halides, sulfates, phosphates etc.) is discussed with the focus on their applications in diverse areas, such as pharmaceuticals, food and fertilizers, and also in chiral resolution. It is argued that, in terms of structure and intermolecular bonding features, these compounds do not differ from classical coordination compounds (complexes) and that their popularity arises from the effectiveness of the organic–inorganic assembly to enhance thermal stability, improve particle size and morphology and change significantly the solubility and dissolution rate with respect to those of the pure active ingredients.

The solid-state photoreactivity of 4-aminocinnamic acid (1) and molecular salts [1H]ClO4 and [1H]HSO4 has been investigated, and structural changes have been monitored by X-ray diffraction techniques and FTIR spectroscopy. While the parent compound 1 and its perchlorate salt [1H]ClO4 are photoinert, irradiation of [1H]HSO4 single crystals results in partial single-crystal to single-crystal (SCSC) [2 + 2] photodimerization, with formation of a {[1H]HSO4}0.36·{[12H2][HSO4]2}0.64 solid solution. If crystalline powders of [1H]HSO4 are irradiated, however, the formation of a monomer/dimer solid solution is followed by “extrusion” and recrystallization of both the phodimerization product [12H2]HSO4 and unreacted [1H]HSO4 as nonisomorphous crystal phases. The outcome of the UV irradiation of [1H]HSO4, therefore, is influenced by the crystal size of the reacting monomer and changes dramatically if the irradiated sample is in the form of single macrocrystals or microcrystalline powder.

N-Salicilideneanilines are among the most studied thermo- and photochromic systems in the solid state. Although thermochromism is a general property of crystalline N-salicilideneanilines, photochromism is known in a limited number of cases. As a method for the construction of thermo- and photo-responsive molecular architectures, the co-crystallisation of 1,2,4,5-tetrafluoro-3,6-diiodobenzene (I2F4) with three selected imines of o-vanillin, named 1, 2 and 3, obtained through a condensation reaction with 3-aminopyridine, 4-bromoaniline and 4-iodoaniline, respectively, is reported herein. All crystals and co-crystals have been characterised by means of solid-state complementary techniques (X-ray diffraction, solid-state NMR spectroscopy, absorption and emission spectroscopy). The role of halogen bonding and crystal packing in the optical and chromic properties of all solid materials is discussed. All solids exhibit thermochromic behaviour, and three of them (2, 22 ⋅I2F4 and 32 ⋅I2F4) are also photochromic. Imine derivative 3 crystallises in two different polymorphic forms (3 A and 3 B) and a solvate (3Solv ). The bromo and iodo derivatives, 2 and 3 B, are isomorphous and form isomorphous co-crystals with I2F4, but behave differently when exposed to UV light because only crystalline 2 is photochromic. Interestingly, the replacement of bromine with iodine seems to turn off the photochromism because crystalline 3 A and 3Solv , and even the 20.7 30.3 solid solution, do not manifest photochromic behaviour.

The new molecular salt [1H]Br (1 = 4-amino-cinnamic acid) was obtained in two polymorphic modifications, forms A and B. While mechanical stress induces transformation of form A into form B, an unexpected effect of UV irradiation is observed on form A, i.e., a single crystal to single crystal (SCSC) transformation to a third polymorph, form C. Form B, on the contrary, responds to UV irradiation by undergoing a stepwise SCSC [2 + 2] photodimerization to α-[12H2]Br2, via formation of a solid state solutions in the whole compositional range. All transformations were followed by a combination of solid-state techniques, i.e., single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, FTIR, and FT-Raman, and by solution 1H NMR. All structural changes also resulted in variations in crystal morphology/texture, and these were monitored via SEM analysis.

The bottom-up preparation of mixed crystals, co-crystals and photoreactive materials starting from molecular building blocks across the borders of organic, organometallic and metal–organic chemistry is described., The conceptual relationship between crystal reactivity, stability and meta­stability, solubility and morphology on the one hand and shape, charge distribution, chirality and distribution of functional groups over the molecular surfaces on the other hand is discussed, via a number of examples coming from three decades of research in the field of crystal engineering at the University of Bologna. The bottom-up preparation of mixed crystals, co-crystals and photoreactive materials starting from molecular building blocks across the borders of organic, organometallic and metalorganic chemistry is recounted.

The potent natural hydrophilic antioxidant l-carnosine has been reacted with a number of organic acids belonging to the “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) group, resulting in the preparation of 11 new crystalline salts, which were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and thermal analysis; the structures of six of them were determined from powder data, and one was fully characterized via single crystal data. The reaction with folic acid resulted in an amorphous folate salt, which was characterized by a combination of thermal methods and Raman spectroscopy; the solubility of the folate salt was also measured and found to be comparable to that of the commercial sodium folate.

The enantiomers of a previously reported naphthalimide derivative are shown in this study to form a solid solution; furthermore, on the basis of the knowledge of solid solution structural aspects other naphthalimide derivatives have been synthesized and shown to lack the enantioselectivity in the solid state. The structural origin of solid solution formation is the same as observed in most of the cases in the literaturequasi-centrosymmetric structures form at nonracemic compositions where the most abundant enantiomer adjusts its conformation to mimic the absent one. Such solid solutions belong to the type showing some enantioselectivity. An extended single crystal X-ray diffraction study of the crystals of different enantiomeric compositions reveals the nature of the disorder in studied solid solutions. Intermolecular interactions are analyzed in terms of Hirshfeld surfaces and by means of density functional theory calculations to explore the differences of isostructural quasi-centrosymmetric (enantiopure) and genuine centrosymmetric (racemic) packings to shed light on the energetic aspects of solid solution formation as well as to explain the origin of partial enantioselectivity. Furthermore, lattice energy calculations explain why two structurally distinct solid solutions (around the racemic and near the pure enantiomer regions) form as found for one of the studied compounds.

Anhydrous ionic co-crystals (ICCs) of cyanuric acid (CA) with sodium and lithium chlorides have been prepared by solid state methods and structurally characterized from X-ray powder diffraction data (XRPD). Complete encapsulation of the Li+Cl− ion pair by the organic molecules is observed in CA·LiCl, while the solid-state solvation of piles of Na+ cations in CA·NaCl results in the markedly increased dissolution rate (ca. 5 times) and solubility (ca. 20 times) in water with respect to pure CA.

We report the syntheses and the magnetic characterization of a new series of lanthanide complexes, in which the Ce, Nd, Gd, Dy, Er, and Yb derivatives show single-molecule magnet behavior. These complexes, named Ln(trenovan), where Htrenovan is tris(((3-methoxysalicylidene)amino)ethyl)amine, exhibit trigonal symmetry and the Ln(III) ion is heptacoordinated. Their molecular structure is then very similar to that of the previously reported Ln(trensal) series, where Htrensal is 2,2′,2″-tris(salicylideneimino)triethylamine. This prompted us to use the spectroscopic and magnetic properties of the Ln(trensal) family (Ln = Nd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm) to obtain a set of crystal-field parameters to be used as starting point to determine the electronic structures and magnetic anisotropy of the analogous Ln(trenovan) complexes using the CONDON computational package. The obtained results were then used to discuss the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and ac susceptibility results. As a whole, the obtained results indicate for this type of complexes single-molecule magnet behavior is not related to the presence of an anisotropy barrier, due to a charge distribution of the ligand around the lanthanoid, which results in highly mixed ground states in terms of M composition of the states. The crucial parameter in determining the slow relaxation of the magnetization is then rather the number of unpaired electrons (only Kramers ions showing in-field slow relaxation) than the shape of the charge distribution for different Ln(III)., E.L. and L.S. acknowledge the financial support of MIUR through the project Futuro in Ricerca 2012 (RBFR12RPD1). Dr. G. Giambastiani and Dr. G. Tucci (ICCOM-CNR Florence) are gratefully acknowledged for TGA measurements and Dr. J. van Leusen for sharing his knowledge of the CONDON package and useful discussions. J.J.B. acknowledges support from the EU (ERC-2016-AdG-694097 QSpec-New Mat and COST Actions CA15128 Molecular Spintronics (MOLSPIN)) and the Basque Government “Grupos Consolidados UPV/EHU” (IT578-13).

Ionic cocrystals (ICC) of l- and dl-histidine with lithium halides (LiCl, LiBr, LiI) have been prepared by solid state and solution methods, and structurally characterized in order to compare the behavior of enantiopure and racemic crystals in the interaction with inorganic salts. It has been shown that the lithium cations interact selectively with enantiomers of one handedness only, to the extent that the crystals obtained with racemic dl-histidine can be described as a special type of cocrystals made of enantiopure l-histidine and d-histidine chains of the same type as those obtained with enantiopure l-histidine. This chiral preference is even more noticeable in the ICC obtained from dl-histidine and LiI, which is actually a conglomerate of l- and d-ICCs. It is also reported that attempts to prepare ICCs with other alkali/alkaline earth halides invariably yield crystals of the less stable polymorph of l-histidine.

Saquinavir (SQV) is an important protease inhibitor used for AIDS/HIV antiretroviral therapy. As a free base it is almost insoluble in water, and it is commercialized as its mesylate salt (SQVM), classified as belonging to class IV (low permeability and solubility). Anion exchange has been used in this work to explore the effect of halides replacing the mesylate anion on the solid state and solubility properties of saquinavir at ambient temperature. All solid forms obtained were characterized via X-ray single crystal and powder diffraction, and their thermal behavior was analyzed via differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, hot-stage microscopy and variable temperature X-ray powder diffraction. Saquinavir chloride (SQVCl), saquinavir bromide (SQVBr), and saquinavir iodide (SQVI) are all hydrates, the difference in the anion size being responsible for the different number of water molecules (3, 2, and 1, respectively). Dissolution properties have also been investigated, and it has been found that the behavior in water of SQVM and SQVCl are very similar, with 43 and 38% dissolved in 90 min, respectively, whereas for SQVBr and SQVI this percentage was 31 and 18%, respectively. Solid SQVCl could therefore be used as a valid alternative to current pharmaceutical formulations.

The design and construction of hybrid organic–organometallic and inorganic–organometallic crystalline materials formed by hydrogen bonded functionalized organometallic sandwich compounds are described. It is shown that the ionic or neutral nature of the building blocks can be exploited to control the strength of intermolecular bonding and the structure–function relationship. The occurrence of crystal polymorphism associated with hydrogen bonded dimers and hydrogen bonded networks is discussed. It is also argued that solid–solid and solid–gas reactions involving preformed hydrogen bonded organometallic molecular crystals provide a viable “green” route to the preparation of novel hybrid molecular crystalline materials.

Mechanochemical and solution based reactions of solid brivaracetam (BRV) and seletracetam (SEL), antiepileptic drugs from UCB's pipeline, with the inorganic salts MgCl2 and CaCl2, yield ionic co-crystals with changed or improved physico-chemical properties with respect to pure drugs (melting point, hygroscopicity, crystal morphology). All co-crystals are characterized via a combination of solid-state techniques, i.e. single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, variable temperature X-ray diffraction, DSC, TGA and hot-stage microscopy (HSM).