Process for improving flow characteristics of crystalline ibuprofen
AssigneeAlbemarle Corporation
InventorsLloyd E. Goddard, George A. Knesel
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Abstract
A process for producing crystalline ibuprofen having a crystal habit characterized by a particle length larger than 75 microns average and a length to width aspect ratio of greater than about 4 to 1 to about 5 to 1. The process involves crystallizing ibuprofen from a saturated solution of ibuprofen in a liquid hydrocarbon solvent by seeding and cooling such solution to a temperature of about 0.degree. C. to about -20.degree. C. at a rate to retard primary nucleation and promote secondary nucleation. The crystalline ibuprofen is separated from the slurry produced from such cooling.
Claims2
A process for preparing crystalline ibuprofen having a crystal habit characterized by having a particle length larger than 150 microns average and a length to width aspect ratio of from about 4 to 1 to about 5 to 1 comprising
- (a) forming a saturated solution of ibuprofen in a liquid hydrocarbon solvent at a temperature from about 20.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C.;
- (b) seeding said saturated solution with solid ibuprofen;
- (c) cooling said saturated solution to a temperature of about 0.degree. C. to about -20.degree. C. at a rate to retard primary nucleation and promote secondary nucleation to obtain a slurry;
- and
- (d) separating the crystalline ibuprofen from the liquid phase of the slurry.
Crystalline ibuprofen having a crystal habit characterized by having a particle length larger than 150 microns average and a length-to-width aspect ratio of from about 4.1 to 1 to about 5 to 1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.