High pressure destabilizes the high Z′
polymorph of 3-hydroxy-4,5-dimethyl-1-phenylpyridazin-6-one (1α); however, recrystallization is needed for obtaining
a low Z′, more dense polymorph. Three polymorphs
α, β, and γ can be monotonically compressed to 2.0
GPa at least. At ambient pressure 1 crystallizes in space
group C2/c, Z′
= 4 as polymorph 1α, or as lower-density polymorph 1β, of space group P21/c and Z′ = 1. Polymorph β
is metastable, and after about one year, it transforms to phase α.
The isochoric recrystallization above 0.40 GPa yields a new polymorph
γ of space group P21/a and Z′ reduced to 1. The γ polymorph
retrieved to ambient conditions for months has showed no signs of
transformations. The main motif of OH···O bonded chains
is retained in all three phases, but high pressure enforced identical
conformation of closely packed molecules and their identical crystal
environment in phase γ.