Below are some tips on which databases can be used for different circumstances.
Do you want to?
Try this:
Search for references (keyword, author, names, title, abstract, journal etc.)
- Start with SciFindern
- Then try Web of Science. Note that this database doesn't really include patents and 'gray' literature the way SciFinder does, and lacks chemistry-specific search features like systematic names, structures, and RNs.
Search for substances by drawing a structure or substructure.
- SciFindern. Huge database of indexed substances, but is heavily sourced from patents.
- Reaxys. Preferred by some for its structure editor.
Search for reactions.
- Reaxys. Preferred for precision and drawing options.
- SciFindern. Greater recall of organic reactions since 1986.
- To be thorough, you should lean towards searching both databases.
Search by citations to older literature.
- Start with Web of Science. It's science citation index goes back to 1900.
- SiFindern. This database does have citation indexing as well, it does not go back as far as Web of Science though.
Search for chemical spectra.
- SciFindern. It's registry record for specific substances can provide many NMR and IR graphical spectra. You can also preform systematic literature searches for published spectral data.
- Reaxys. While Reaxys does not contain graphical spectra, its substance records contain many spectral data fields.
Search for crystallographic data.
- Cambridge Structural Database. This is where you should start as it is a repository for organic crystal data.
- Reaxys. Many organic and inorganic substances in this database have searchable crystallographic data fields.
- SciFindern. If you are looking for information published in journals you can find it here. Try the substance search.
Search for physical and thermodynamic properties.
- CRC Handbook (Print Option).Contains basic property information about well known compounds. Different editions available in the Reference section of the library, and the stacks in B2.
- Reaxys Larger number of property data fields for substances than SciFindern.
- SciFindern. Best place for a literature search for reported properties using Registry Numbers and keywords.