Research Guides: Organic Synthesis Information Resources: Searching the Literature

The "Big Three"

Benefits to these Databases

Can search by structure
Can find info on specific reactions (searching by reactants and/or products)
Often links you to the full-text

Chemical Abstracts (SciFinder-n)
SciFinder Scholar is a means of accessing the Chemical Abstracts database using a powerful and intuitive search engine to find references to articles easily. Search for chemical data using a molecular formula, chemical name, chemical structure, reaction components, author name, or topic of interest.
Reaxys (Beilstein/Gmelin)
Reaxys is a unique web-based chemistry database consisting of deeply excerpted compounds and related factual properties, reaction and synthesis information as well as bibliographic data, navigated and displayed via an actionable interface. Combines the Beilstein (organic chem), Gmelin (organometallic and inorganic chem), and Chemical Patents databases into one search interface.

NOTE: Users will need to register and create a personal username and password in order to access the database.

New users, please send a request to Reaxys support at pharmabiotechEH@elsevier.com with your name, last name and email address containing your institution's email domain.

Other Important Print and Online Resources

Annual Reports in Organic Synthesis [PRINT ONLY]
Annual reviews of the literature. Sections are organized by reaction type, protecting groups, and reviews related to techniques, natural products, fullerene chemistry, and other selected topical areas.
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* Lags in publication. 2005 was just recently published.
* Mainly graphics of the reaction and article information.
* No subject index, must use the table of contents. Indexed by first author only.
Catalysts and Catalyzed Reactions (2002- )
Visual presentation of new developments in catalysis research. Around 200 graphical abstracts added every month, indexed by reaction and catalytic method.
Compendium of Organic Synthetic Methods (2006- )
Annual reviews of the literature. Sections are organized by reaction type and subtype. A convenient graph is found at the beginning of each volume to track down general sections.
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* Lags in publication. Volume 12 (2009) covers literature from 2002-04.
* Mainly just graphics of the reaction and article information.
* No subject index, must use the table of contents. Author index also available.
Methods in Organic Synthesis ( 2000- )
Graphical abstracts of important current developments and new synthetic advances, including reaction schemes. Entries are indexed by Reaction, Reactant and Reagent.
Natural Product Updates (2000- )
Alerting natural product scientists to the latest developments. The abstracts include structure diagrams, trivial and taxonomic names, and physical and biological properties.
Synfacts (2005- )
In SYNFACTS current research results in synthetic organic chemistry, as they appear in the primary literature, are screened, selected, evaluated, summarized, and enriched with personal comments by experts in their fields. You can view an overview here.
Theilheimer's Synthetic Methods of Organic Chemistry
Online from vol 78 (2008). Chemistry Library Ref. 547 T34sE for vol 3 (1949)-vol 75 (2010). Semiannual reviews of the literature. Sections are organized using a unique system indicating what bonds are made and broken along with the type of reaction. Also includes a section on review articles.
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* Provides more detailed reaction information.
* Does not lags as much in publication.
* Focuses on novel reactions or improvements made to existing reactions.
* Has subject index but no author index.
* Includes a small "Guide for Users."