Epitaxial 2D nucleation of the stable polymorphic form of the steroid 7alphaMNa on the metastable form: implications for Ostwald's rule of stages.

This paper presents in situ observations of the epitaxial nucleation and growth of the stable polymorph of a steroid, 7alphaMna, on a specific face of the metastable form at low supersaturation, using optical microscopy and in situ Raman spectroscopy. The presence of the metastable polymorph is essential for the nucleation and growth of the stable one. The order of the metastable zones of the stable and metastable polymorphs is reversed for the epitaxial growth process as compared to the case of 3D nucleation. The rate of transformation of the metastable polymorph to the stable one can be controlled by the supersaturation.