Vitreous State Characterization of Pharmaceutical Compounds Degrading upon Melting by Using Fast Scanning Calorimetry.

Fast scanning calorimetry, a technique mainly devoted to polymer characterization, is applied here for the first time to low molecular mass organic compounds that degrade upon melting, such as ascorbic acid and prednisolone. Due to the fast scan rates upon heating and cooling, the substances can be obtained in the molten state without degradation and then quenched into the glassy state. The hydrated form and the polymorphic Form 1 of prednisolone were investigated. It is shown that once the sesquihydrate dehydrates, a molten product is obtained. Depending on the heating rate, this molten phase may recrystallize or not into Form 1.