Routine ab initio structure determination of chlorothiazide by X-ray powder diffraction using optimised data collection and analysis strategies

The likelihood of solving crystal structures from powder diffraction data is greatly enhanced if data collection and analysis strategies can be designed to effectively remove Bragg peak overlap. In this way, accurate normalised structure factors of essentially single-crystal quality are obtained. Such strategies are illustrated here with the db initio solution, from powder diffraction data using traditional direct methods, of the clinically used diuretic compound chlorothiazide. The structure solution is outstanding in that, despite the non-centrosymmetric, triclinic symmetry, all 17 non-hydrogen atom positions are clearly visible in the E-map generated from the top direct methods solution.