NSERC Phase I I2I grant for using mixed crystals to increase polymorphic diversity

化合物通常可以以多种晶型存在，这种晶型称为多晶型。多晶型具有相同的组成但不同的结构，它们的性质可能会有显著的差异。在许多领域，对结晶条件进行了详尽的筛选，以产生尽可能多的晶型，从中可以选择最有利的晶型。例如，在制药工业中，最理想的多晶型可能是那些在水中具有高或低溶解度(以控制生物利用度)、最大的热力学稳定性(以防止转化为更稳定的形式)或倾向于结晶成特定形状的多晶型(以便于处理或配制)。当一种以前未知的多晶型被发现时，它可以作为一种新的物质形式获得专利。詹姆斯·韦斯特和他的研究小组设计了一种新的方法来筛选多态，他们使用了被称为混合晶体播种和悬浮熔融结晶的技术。这些技术已经发表(J.Am化学。SoC。是一项专利申请(PCT/CA2021/050034)的主体，该专利申请是在2020年1月提交的临时申请之后提出的。需要从NSERC第一阶段I2I拨款中获得资金，以充分发挥这些方法的潜力，使它们尽可能易于使用，在具有商业意义的案例中展示它们的价值，并将它们转移到广泛的行业。

Chemical compounds can often exist in multiple crystalline forms, which are called polymorphs. Polymorphs have the same composition but different structures, and their properties can vary markedly. In many fields, conditions for crystallization are screened exhaustively to generate as many polymorphs as possible, from which the most advantageous form can be selected. In the pharmaceutical industry, for example, the most desirable polymorphs may be those with high or low solubility in water (to control bioavailability), the greatest thermodynamic stability (to prevent conversion into a more stable form), or a tendency to crystallize in particular shapes (to facilitate handling or formulation). When a previously unknown polymorph is discovered, it can be patented as a new form of matter. James Wuest and his research group have devised new ways to screen for polymorphs, using techniques called mixed-crystal seeding and suspended-melt crystallization. These techniques have been published (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 11873) and are the subject of a patent application (PCT/CA2021/050034) that follows a provisional application filed in January 2020. Funding from an NSERC Phase I I2I grant is needed to develop the full potential of these methods, make them as easy to use as possible, demonstrate their value in commercially relevant cases, and transfer them to a broad range of industries.