Issue 9, 2015

Will it crystallise? Predicting crystallinity of molecular materials

Abstract

Predicting and controlling crystallinity of molecular materials has applications in a crystal engineering context, as well as process control and formulation in the pharmaceutical industry. Here, we present a machine learning approach to this problem which uses a large input training set which is classified on a single measurable outcome: does a substance have a reasonable probability of forming good quality crystals. While the related problem of crystal structure prediction requires reliable calculation of three dimensional molecular conformations, the method employed here for predicting crystallisation propensity uses only “two dimensional” information consisting of atom types and connectivity. We show that an error rate lower than 10% can be achieved against unseen test data. The predictive model was also tested in a blind screen of a set of compounds which do not have crystal structures reported in the literature, and we found it to have a 79% classification accuracy. Analysis of the most significant descriptors used in the classification shows that the number of rotatable bonds and a molecular connectivity index are key in determining crystallisation propensity and using these two measures alone can give 80% accurate classification of unseen test data.

Graphical abstract: Will it crystallise? Predicting crystallinity of molecular materials

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
16 Sep 2014
Accepted
04 Nov 2014
First published
04 Nov 2014

CrystEngComm, 2015,17, 1927-1934

Author version available

Will it crystallise? Predicting crystallinity of molecular materials

J. G. P. Wicker and R. I. Cooper, CrystEngComm, 2015, 17, 1927 DOI: 10.1039/C4CE01912A

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