Searching the Cambridge Structural Database for polymorphs

In order to identify all pairs of polymorphs in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD), a method was devised to automatically compare two crystal structures. The comparison is based on simulated powder diffraction patterns, but with special provisions to deal with differences in unit-cell volumes caused by temperature or pressure. Among the 325 000 crystal structures in the Cambridge Structural Database, 35 000 pairs of crystal structures of the same chemical compound were identified and compared. A total of 7300 pairs of polymorphs were identified, of which 154 previously were unknown.