Paracetamol micro-structure analysis by optical mapping

Abstract Domain structure of paracetamol - popular antipyretic analgesic - was investigated by infrared (IR) spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. Absorbance and retardance maps reveal molecular orientation inside the micro-domains of the paracetamol form II which has a better water solubility and compressibility compared to the commercially used forms I. The developed method of analysis representing orientation of optical slow(fast)-axis is compared with azimuthal orientation of the absorbance at several specific IR bands using vector maps. High brightness of synchrotron radiation and hyper-spectral mapping of structural domains in paracetamol clearly reveals the domain boundaries and can potentially be used to observe in situ intra-phase transformations of paracetamol forms-I, II, III and melting, which are important for making medical tablets and powders by an industrial process.