The crystal structure of oxybutynin hydrochloride hemihydrate has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional techniques. Oxybutynin hydrochloride hemihydrate crystallizes in space group I2/a (#15) with a = 14.57266(8), b = 8.18550(6), c = 37.16842(26) Å, β = 91.8708(4)°, V = 4421.25(7) Å3, and Z = 8. The compound exhibits X-ray-induced photoreduction of the triple bond. Prominent in the layered crystal structure is the N–H⋅⋅⋅Cl hydrogen bond between the cation and anion, as well as O–H⋅⋅⋅Cl hydrogen bonds from the water molecule and hydroxyl group of the oxybutynin cation. C–H⋅⋅⋅Cl hydrogen bonds also contribute to the crystal energy, and help determine the conformation of the cation. The powder pattern is included in the Powder Diffraction File™ as entry 00-068-1305.
