SciFinder Scholar Hints and Tips
Scope of SciFinder Scholar Searches
- SciFinder substance searches cover the Chemical Abstracts Registry File, 1957 to date (>18 million substances). Structure searches are similar to Family searches on STN, retrieving compound, salts, tautomers, stereoisomers, radiolabeled forms, etc. The reaction database covers the organic section of CA from 1985 to the present. Over 1.5 million single step reactions and over 3 million multi-step reactions.
- References and keyword searches cover the period 1967 to date (>14 million journal and patent references).
Drawing Structures
- Draw structures as you would on paper, hydrogens are assumed by default.
- Draw bonds the way you want them in your answers. Use ‘unspecified’ if you want to retrieve any of single, double, or triple bonds.
- Use a CAS RN as a model by highlighting a CAS RN in any SciFinder display. Select Edit Copy from the pull-down menu. Open the SciFinder drawing window and select Edit Paste. (Note: not all RN’s can be models).
- To create templates: Draw the structure, select File Save and save the structure in the user_def folder.
- Draw radicals by adding a charge to a heteroatom. No ‘dot’ is available, but SciFinder is tricked by the charge.
Structures from ISI/Draw to SciFinder
- Export structure as a molfile from ISI/Draw.
- In SciFinder structure draw menu, Open File created by MDL molfile and carry on with search.
Structures from SciFinder to ISI/Draw
- Draw the structure in SciFinder and Save As Molfile name.mol.
- Import name.mol into ISI/Draw.
- Structures can also be cut/paste from SciFinder to ISI/Draw and from SciFinder to Microsoft Word.
Zero Hits for Structure Search, this could be due to:
- Your compound is not in the Registry File.
- The structure was drawn incorrectly. Double check that there are no disconnected atoms, etc. Use Tools Smooth.
- Please contact the information department with any questions.
Zero Literature References to Registry Numbers
SciFinder accesses CA back to 1967. If you see zero references for a given RN, there may be references prior to 1967. Contact your information department to retrieve older literature (print CA).
Displaying Structures
Some substances may have many salts, isomers, etc. Lists are displayed with the largest RN first, so common forms of a substance are often at the end of the list. Reverse display order by selecting View Reverse Order.
Research Topic Searching
- Use plain English – Enter phrases as you would say them, specifying 2 or 3 concepts.
- Use prepositions instead of OR and AND – e.g. Effects of human growth hormone on fetal development.
- Distribute modifiers across all words to which they apply – e.g. blue coat and blue hat (not blue coat and hat).
- Synonyms can be used in parentheses – e.g. topical treatments for poison ivy (Rhus radiacans).
- You can use negatives such as not and except.
Saving References or Substances in Word Format.
Select Save As and select Save for use in Microsoft Word.
Enter name.rtf. This file can be then opened in Word and edited and printed.
References and substances cannot be saved in the same file (i.e. cannot append an existing file). However in Preferences Save/Print, both SaveAs Format and Print Format give options for an Abstract (which includes structures in the abstract) and Structures (giving ‘hit’ structures also).
Navigation and History
- History displays the history for the current session only (no previous sessions).
- Back Track and Forward Track display previous and next screens respectively.
Further References and Information
Please remember the SciFinder search Chemical Abstracts data from 1967 and the Registry from 1957 forward. If you want older literature or data from other sources, please contact the Reference Desk at 314-362-7085.
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