# Paracetamol Micro-Structure Analysis by Optical Mapping

## TL;DR

This study uses infrared synchrotron radiation to analyze the micro-structure of paracetamol, revealing molecular orientations and domain boundaries crucial for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel IR mapping method to visualize molecular orientation and domain boundaries in paracetamol micro-structures, aiding in understanding phase transformations.

## Key findings

- IR maps reveal molecular orientation in paracetamol form II
- High-resolution domain boundary visualization achieved
- Potential for in situ monitoring of phase changes

## 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 \emph{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.