IR and Raman spectral and X-ray structural studies of polymorphic forms of sulfamethoxazole

The crystal structure of the polymorphic form III (hemihydrate) of sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) was determined to exist in both the E- and Z-forms by X-ray analysis and was compared with the polymorphic forms I and II which are known to exist in the E-form. IR spectra of I–III and their corresponding forms I_D–III_D which contain the deuterated amino and amido groups and D₂O and Raman spectra of I–III have been measured. For I–III, assignment of the stretching vibration ν(NH) and ν(CH)] bands of amino and amido groups and the CH bond of the isoxazole ring involved in the inter-molecular hydrogen bonds has been proposed based on consideration of the IR and Raman spectra and the results of X-ray analysis. A relationship was established between the relative intensity and wavenumbers for the ν(CH) band in the inter-molecular C(sp²)H?X hydrogen bond of the E-form.