CMU LibGuides: Chemistry: Databases and Preprint Servers

Chemical Literature Databases

Databases are searchable indexes of the research articles in journals. They do not house the articles themselves, but will usually link to where you can find the full text. Look for the blue "find it at CMU" button! Some of the most useful databases to get started with for chemistry are the following:

SciFinder-n This link opens in a new window
CAS SciFinder-n is the latest scientific information solution from CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society. In addition to the reference, substance, reaction and supplier content found in CAS SciFinder®, CAS SciFinder-n includes relevance-ranked results, step-by-step procedures and protocols, citation mapping, biosequence searching, retrosynthetic analysis, patent landscape mapping, touch screen enabled structure drawing and much more—all accessible in a simple, easy to-use interface. First time users must register.
Reaxys This link opens in a new window
A web access to comprehensive information of organic, inorganic, and organometallic compounds, their syntheses and properties that includes Crossfire Beilstein and Gmelin databases.
Web of Science This link opens in a new window
A multidisciplinary database, with searchable author abstracts, covering the literature of the sciences, social sciences and the arts & humanities providing indexes and links to cited references for each article.
PubMed This link opens in a new window
Biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites.
Cambridge Structural Database This link opens in a new window
Provides access to the world's repository of small molecule crystal structures. It also gives comprehensive and retrospective coverage of the published literature.
Patai's Chemistry of Functional Groups - Online Book Series This link opens in a new window
An online book series in organic chemistry covering all volumes from 1964-1995.

Preprint Servers

If you need: the latest chemistry
ChemRxiv ("chem archive") is a preprint server in chemistry and related chemical sciences. ChemRxiv is co-owned by five of the largest chemistry academic societies - the American Chemical Society (ACS), Chinese Chemical Society, Chemical Society of Japan, German Chemical Society (GDCh), and the Royal Society of Chemistry. The manuscript published on ChemRxiv are not peer reviewed.

engrXiv

engrXiv ("engineering archive") is dedicated to the dissemination of engineering research. engrXiv was launched by University of Wisconsin-Stout, and in partnership with the Center for Open Science. The manuscript published on engrXiv are not peer reviewed.

arXiv

arXiv ("archive") is an open-access archive for 1,732,878 scholarly articles in the fields of physics, mathematics, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance, statistics, electrical engineering and systems science, and economics. The manuscript published on arXiv are not peer reviewed.