Thermal behaviour and stability in Olanzapine.

The stability and thermal behaviour of two anhydrate phases and a new mixed water:DMSO solvate of Olanzapine (2-methyl-4-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-10H-thieno-[2,3-b][1,5]benzodiazepine) are studied by different methods: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Raman scattering (RS). Single crystal structural data for the latter phase are presented, confirming the presence of the (Olanzapine)(2) dimer as the structural building unit of all known phases of the drug, either anhydrate or solvated. An apparent interconversion between both solid state forms is shown to be an artifact and explained in terms of a melting-recrystallization process.