What polar functional groups interact favorably with water molecules increasing API solubility?
Answer
Hydroxyl (OH), carboxyl (COOH), or amino (NH2) groups
Water solubility in an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is fundamentally linked to its chemical structure, specifically the presence of polar functional groups. Molecules possessing groups such as hydroxyl ($ ext{OH}$), carboxyl ($ ext{COOH}$), or amino ($ ext{NH}_2$) exhibit strong, favorable interactions with polar water molecules. These interactions occur primarily through the formation of hydrogen bonds and electrostatic forces. This strong attraction allows the drug molecules to overcome the forces holding them in their solid crystalline structure, enabling them to break free and disperse uniformly into the aqueous environment, thereby increasing solubility.

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