Biological properties of two enantiomorphic forms of N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-4-hydroxy-2,2-dioxo-1H-2λ6,1-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide, a structural analogue of piroxicam.

The title benzothiazine-3-carboxamide, C17H16N2O4S, crystallized in two enantiomorphic crystal forms with the space groups P32 and P31 despite the absence of a classic stereogenic atom. The molecular structures are mirror images of each other. Only one sulfonyl O atom takes part in intramolecular hydrogen bonding as a proton acceptor and this atom is different in the two enantiomorphic structures. As a result, the S atom becomes a pseudo-stereogenic centre. This fact is worth taking into account due to the different biological activities of the enantiomorphic forms. One form possesses a high analgesic activity, while the other form revealed a high anti-inflammatory activity.