Chemistry & Biochemistry Research Guide
Philip & Christina Bailey College of Science & Mathematics Librarian
Jeanine Scaramozzino
Contact:
Robert E. Kennedy Library
Building 25 Room 203
Cal Poly State University
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Building 25 Room 203
Cal Poly State University
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Got questions?
- 24/7 Live Chat with a human librarian
- BCSM Librarian Office Hours Fall 2023: Wednesday, 1:10-2pm, BCSM Advising Office
- Top 5 Reasons to Use 24/7 Live Chat Help! (2:15)
Article Databases
- American Chemical Society (ACS) Publications This link opens in a new windowThe American Chemical Society publishes peer-reviewed journals focused on all disciplines of chemistry.
- Reaxys This link opens in a new windowReaxys provides chemical properties and preparations for inorganic and organic compounds. It is searchable in multiple ways, including chemical structure, formula, physical property, and reaction. This is a combination of retired databases Beilstein (organic reactions, spectra, properties, etc.), Gmelin (inorganic) and Chemistry Patent Database. This database includes a chemical drawing program.
- SciFinder-n This link opens in a new windowSciFinder-n, an updated and improved version of SciFinder Scholar, has permanently replaced the classic interface. In addition to the chemical reference, substance, reaction and supplier content found in SciFinder Scholar, SciFinder-n includes relevance-ranked results, step-by-step procedures and protocols, citation mapping, biosequence searching, retrosynthetic analysis, patent landscape mapping, and touch-screen enabled structure drawing.
Users must create an account before accessing SciFinder-n or SciFinder Scholar but the same credentials will work on both versions. Go here to create a new account.
If you have not accessed your account in the last 18 months, you will not be able to log in until you have contacted the CAS Customer Center and asked them to reinstate your account. Read the Scifinder-n Support FAQ.
Concerned about account privacy? View the CAS privacy policy.
- Web of Science (All Databases)Web of Science All Databases (1864-present) provides the most comprehensive results from multiple databases that primarily cover the sciences plus social sciences and humanities. A new interface was released Summer 2021. Reorientation to search navigation and new features are supported by pop-up guides and tips, and the WoS Help Page.
- Google Scholar This link opens in a new windowGoogle Scholar allows you to simultaneously search scholarly content across many disciplines, databases, and information sources. Results can include books, articles, chapters, conference proceedings, and more.
Tips on using Google Scholar are available here. - PubMed This link opens in a new windowPubMed comprises more than 24 million citations for 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.
- ChemRxivThese are preliminary reports and data on ongoing projects which have not been peer-reviewed. They should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health related behavior, or be reported in news media as established information.
Important Chemistry Resources & Tools
- CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics (online version)The CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics is one of the most important standard reference texts in science. The internet version provides an up-to-date dynamic and integrated data resource. The current internet version copyright date is 2021 and is aligned with the 102nd print edition. Sections include: Basic Constants, Units, and Conversion Factors; Symbols, Terminology, and Nomenclature; Physical Constants of Organic Compounds;
- NIST Chemistry WebBookThe National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Chemistry WebBook contains: thermochemical data for +7000 organic and small inorganic compounds; reaction thermochemistry data for +8000 reactions; IR spectra for +16,000 compounds; mass spectra for +33,000 compounds; UV/Vis spectra for +1600 compounds; gas chromatography data for +27,000 compounds; electronic and vibrational spectra for +5000 compounds; constants of diatomic molecules (spectroscopic data) for +600 compounds; ion energetics data for +16,000 compounds; and thermophysical property data for 74 fluids. Search for data on specific compounds based on name, chemical formula, CAS registry number, molecular weight, chemical structure, or selected ion energetics and spectral properties.
- NCBI PubChem Substance DatabaseThe National Center for Biotechnology Information PubChem Substance Database contains descriptions of samples, from a variety of sources, and links to biological screening results that are available in PubChem BioAssay. If the chemical contents of a sample are known, the description includes links to PubChem Compound.
- Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data BankThe RCSB PDB (Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank) operates the US data center for the global PDB archive. It contains >1 TB of downloadable archive data and access to 3D structure data for large biological molecules (proteins, DNA, and RNA).
Substance Safety Information & Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
- Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry ToxFAQsToxFAQs is a series summaries about hazardous substances developed by the ATSDR Division of Toxicology. Information for this series is excerpted from the ATSDR Toxicological Profiles and Public Health Statements. Each free, downloadable fact sheet serves as a quick and easy to understand guide. Answers are provided to the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) about exposure to hazardous substances found around hazardous waste sites and the effects of exposure on human health.
- MSDSonlineMSDSOnline provides Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for hazardous materials used on the Cal Poly SLO campus. Off campus users must first connect to Cal Poly VPN to access this resource.