Reactions Information Resources

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Reaction information is available from a number of databases. It is possible to find unique answers among all three resources listed here, and it is advised that a comprehensive search will need investigation of each of these resources, as well as investigation of the standard print reference works. Many of these resources require special software or plugins, and are also available on workstations in the John Crerar Library.

• Beilstein CrossFire
  This is a premier source for organic reaction information. The database contains information on more than 8 million compounds and 5 million reactions. Beilstein can be searched by name, exact structure, and substructure for products and/or reactants. User guides are available to help design effective reaction searches. Coverage from 1771.
• SciFinder Scholar
  SciFinder Scholar provides access to reaction searching in the CASREACT file. Reactions may be searched by structure and substructure. Information on 3.9 million single and multistep reactions from the journal and patent literature since 1985.
  
  
• ISI Chemistry Server
  Reaction Center portion of this database provides access to 45,000 "novel and improved" reactions reported in the literature since 1985. Supplemented by a file of 139,000 "classical" reactions from the French database provider, INPI. Reactions may be searched by structure and substructure in this web based resource (downloadable plugin required).
  
  
• Science of Synthesis
  (Select "Login" and then click again when intro screen appears). Science of Synthesis is the new edition of the venerable reference series, Houben-Weyl Methods of Molecular Transformations, now published in English. A systematic and critically evaluated review of synthetic methods in organic and organometallic chemistry, this resource provides practical solutions and offers a route through the mass of information available in the primary literature (journal articles, books, etc.). Searchable by text, reaction conditions and/or chemical substructure. Also includes searchable/browseable index to the original print volumes of Houben-Weyl, access to which is provided as PDF files.
  
  
• Organic Syntheses
  Organic Syntheses is a collection of detailed, reliable, and carefully checked procedures for the synthesis of organic compounds. Some procedures describe practical methods for the preparation of specific compounds of interest, while other procedures illustrate important synthetic methods with general utility. Each procedure is written in considerable detail as compared to typical experimental procedures. Searchable by substructure of both reactants and products, as well as by keywords. (Downloadable plugin required for structure searching)
  
  

• SPRESI
  (Select "IP Login" button from the initial screen). SPRESI is a web searchable database of 4.5 million compounds and 3.5 million reactions from the literature covering 1974-1998. The database was originally compiled by the All-Union Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (VINITI) and the German Zentrale Informationsverarbeitung Chemie, Berlin (ZIC). Searching by exact structure, substructure and structural "similarity" are available. Reactions are displayed as part of the compound record and may contain links to compound data such as NMR, boiling point, melting point, etc.

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