Structure, thermal and spectral study of 16α,17-epoxypregn-4-ene-3,11,20-trione monohydate

16α,17-epoxypregn-4-ene-3,11,20-trione is an important steroid intermediate in synthesis of many hormone pharmaceuticals, such as cortisone acetate and betamethason. It does not dissolve in water, but the single crystals grown from acetone with some water shows evident hydration behavior. The thermal analyses by DSC and TG-DTA and the IR spectra characterization of the anhydrous and hydrous crystals were performed and compared. The hydrate was also proved by IR spectral and thermal analyses. Single crystal structure of the hydrate indicates one water molecule per host molecule is included into the host lattice. The incorporation of water molecules does not change the crystal cell dimensions significantly, except for some increment of the cell along the axis b. In the crystal cell, two steroid molecules are linked through the water molecules as a bridge by forming two different hydrogen bonds. The incorporation of one water molecule makes some conformation changes of the molecules in the crystal unit cell.