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Chemistry: Using Reaxys

This is a guide to resources when doing Chemistry research. It provides tutorials for Reaxys, links to other chemistry databases and resources, and ACS citation information.

Using Reaxys Tutorials and Support Documentation

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Use the tabs below to view video tutorials and helpful documentation to learn how to use the various functions of Reaxys to search for property, reaction and synthesis data from peer-reviewed literature, patents and substance databases. 

How to Use Reaxys

Reaxys: Getting Started

View the video below to see how to get to Reaxys from the FHSU homepage and the benefits of creating an account and logging into Reaxys to save query alerts and access search history.

Reaxys: Using Quick Search to Search

View the interactive video below and use the buttons on the right side of the screen to skip to another chapter or to return to the beginning of the video. This video includes chapters of using quick search for:

  • Literature searching
  • Substance searching
  • Reaction searching
  • Property searching
 

(Credit: Video provided on support documentation; Created by Elsevier Reaxys.)

Launch Reaxys Quick Search Tutorial

Reaxys: Using Query Builder to Search

View the interactive video below and use the buttons on the right side of the screen to skip to another chapter or to return to the beginning of the video. Chapters include:

  • How to build a search using Query Builder
  • How to refine your search using Query Builder
 

(Credit: Video provided on support documentation; Created by Elsevier Reaxys.)

Launch Reaxys Query Builder Tutorial

Reaxys: How to Search Literature

1. Refer to the Quick Search tab to view the tutorial chapter about searching literature.

2. Reaxys Support Center also has a helpful workflow documentation about searching literature which includes:

  • How to use the Quick Search feature
  • How to work with and interpret the results preview
  • How to narrow initial answers using various filter options
  • How to get to citing articles via Scopus

3. View the video for an explanation of how to search for documents and tips for broadening and narrowing your search with Quick Search and Query Builder.

 

(Credit: Video provided on support documentation; Created by Elsevier Reaxys.)

Reaxys: How to Search a Substance

1. Refer to the Quick Search tab to view the tutorial chapter about searching substances.

2. Reaxys Support Center also has a helpful Substance Searching Workflow, that includes:

  • How to create a structure template from a name
  • How to make simple changes to initial structure
  • How to change the bond defaults
  • How to attach a generic group at various points in the structure
  • How to allow any substituent at selected points in the structure
  • How to search for structures "As drawn"
  • How to narrow initial answers so they contain only those with specific functional groups

3. View the video about searching substances by name and altering structure and text searches.

(Credit: Video provided on support documentation; Created by Elsevier Reaxys.)

Reaxys: How to Search a Reaction

1. Refer to the Quick Search tab to view the tutorial chapter about searching reactions.

2. Reaxys Support Center also has a helpful Reaction Searching Workflow, including:

  • How to create a reaction query
  • How to map atoms between starting materials and products
  • How to change the bond defaults
  • How to search for reactions "as substructure"
  • How to narrow initial answers so they only contain those with specific reagents/catalysts

3. View the video below for tips on searching reactions

 

(Credit: Video provided on support documentation; Created by Elsevier Reaxys.)

Reaxys: How to Search Properties

1. Refer to the Quick Search tab to view the tutorial chapter about searching properties.

2. Reaxys Support Center also has a helpful workflow documentation about searching for properties which includes:

  • How to find property data for a single substance
  • How to find specific data for a single substance using Quick Search
  • How to find data for a group of substances using Quick Search
  • How to find date for a group of substances using Query Builder
  • How to search for numeric information using Query Builder

3. View the video below for tips on finding properties of substances

 

(Credit: Video provided on support documentation; Created by Elsevier Reaxys.)

Reaxys: Search Using Structure Drawings

1. View the interactive video below and use the buttons on the right side of the screen to skip to another chapter or to return to the beginning of the video. Chapters include:

  • How to create a structure drawing from a substance name
  • How to create a structure drawing from scratch
  • How to copy/paste a structure drawing from an external structure editor to Reaxys Marvin JS
  • How to edit the structure by adding various query features
  • How to execute a search 
 

(Credit: Video provided on support documentation; Created by Elsevier Reaxys.)

Launch Reaxys Structure Drawing Tutorial


2. Refer to the Structure Drawing Workflow provided by the Reaxys Support Center which includes information on how to:

  • How to create a structure drawing from a substance name using Marvin JS
  • How to create a structure drawing from scratch using Marvin JS
  • How to copy/paste a structure drawing from an external structure editor to Reaxys Marvin JS
  • How to edit the structure by adding various query features

3. Familiarize yourself with the toolbars on the Structure Drawing Tool


4. Learn the Options on the Tool Toolbar

tool toolbar reaxys structure drawing


5. Learn the options on the Template Toolbar

template toolbar reaxys structure drawing


6. Learn the options in the Atom Toolbar

atom toolbar reaxys structure drawing


 

 

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

If a Reaxys tutorial video doesn't seem to be loading properly, either refresh your page, click the full screen option to load the video, or click the Launch tutorial button to open it in a new window.