Guides: Chemistry: Reactions & Syntheses

Reaction Databases

These resources provide not only information on an extensive array of reactions, but also powerful structure based searching interfaces for reaction discovery and synthesis planning. For comprehensive reaction searching, you may need to search each of these databases, as well as consulting online handbooks of reaction information and print reference works on synthetic methods.

Organic Syntheses
Download ChemDraw Plugin for structure searching

Cambridge Structural Database WebCSD
Searchable repository of small molecule crystal structures. Dataset information includes article citations, chemical structural data, and the results of crystal structure validation.
Web of Science
Access scholarly literature and proceedings in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. Includes unique search options like Cited Author and Cited Reference.
Includes some sources published from 1900 to present.
Milner's subscription includes:
- Arts & Humanities Citation Index (1975-present)
- Book Citation Index Science (2005-present)
- Book Citation Index Social Sciences & Humanities (2005-present)
- Conference Proceedings Citation Index Science (1993-present)
- Conference Proceedings Citation Index Social Sciences & Humanities (1993-present)
- Science Citation Index Expanded (1900-present)
- Social Sciences Citation Index (1900-present)
SciFinder-n
Database of scientific literature including article citations, patents, chemical substances, and chemical syntheses. Users are required to create a personal account. Limited to two simultaneous users.
Includes sources published from 1907 to present

Chemicals & Equipment Purchasing

Chemical Commercial Availability and Instrumentation Providers
Individual Companies

SciFinder-n
Has a commercial availability feature; Restricted to University of Chicago users; display of information for compounds includes commercial availability and links to CHEMCATS records.
Includes sources published from 1907 to present
ChemSpider
Many entries include commercial supplier listings.

eMolecules
ChemExpo
Commercial Sites
Includes instrumentation and chemical suppliers, as well as publishers, software, database providers, etc.
ChemSources
From the company that makes print ChemSources; full online records are not free, but this is a good source to do a preliminary search to see if it's worth coming to the library to check the print volume.
WWW Chemicals Bulk Chemicals Suppliers

Sigma - Aldrich Chemical
Alfa Aesar (Research Chemicals, Metals and Materials)
Fisher Product Information
Click on Biochemicals and Reagents page link.
Indofine Chemical Co.

Online Handbook

Information on reagents, solvents, and more to help with your synthesis planning.

CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics
Full text online version of the classic handbook of scientific reference data. Includes physical constants, conversion factors, symbols, nomenclature, chemical properties, and mathematical tables.

Chemical Structure Editors

These are links to download software for drawing chemical structures. Resulting structures can be saved in a variety of formats for use in structure searchable databases, word processing documents, etc.

ACD Chemsketch
Chemistry Add-In for Word
Use to insert and modify chemical information, such as labels, formulas and 2D depictions, within Microsoft Office Word.