Beilstein & Gmelin/Reaxys

Beilstein and Gmelin are two powerful and essential chemistry databases that contain a wealth of information for reactions, citations, and substance properties. They are accessed by MDL CrossFire Commander which is third party software. The Crossfire commander has to be installed first on computers in order to search the Beilstein and Gmelin databases. Our current subscription is this client-version Crossfire Beilstein and Gmelin.

The databases are available from Blommer Science Library workstations, in the Gelardin New Media Center, and can be installed on any computer workstation on campus. Ask the science reference desk or call 7-5651 for details.

Additional Instructional Materials:

• UW-Madison Libraries Crossfire Client Distribution Page
• Clearinghouse for Chemical Information Instructional Materials (CCIIM)-Beilstein Handbook of Organic Chemistry: Printed and Database
• Instructions for installing Commander V7 & V6 for Windows and Mac (PDF)

Notes: Beilstein and Gmelin Crossfire will not be supported by Elsevier after the end of 2010. Reaxys, a new database released by Elsevier, will be the successor of the Crossfire interface to access Beilstein and Gmelin. The Reaxys trial is now available for the Georgetown facutly, staff, and students. See the access information below for details.

Reaxys: Succesor of Crossfire Beilstein and Gmelin

Elsevier bought the Beistein Database in February 2007. The German Chemical Society still has the copyright to the content of Gmelin. In January 2009, based on the trusted content of the three CrossFire databases (CrossFire Beilstein, CrossFire Gmelin and the Patent Chemistry Database), Elsevier launched a new database called Reaxys. Reaxys is a web-based search and retrieval system for chemical compounds, bibliographic data and chemical reactions. It integrates reaction and substance data with synthesis planning and data analysis tools to significantly reduce the time it takes researchers to get to the relevant results. Compared to Crossfire Commander, Reaxys has a more intuitively-designed web interface and is much easier to search.

Reaxys Access Information

You will need the following information to access Reaxys:

Web address: https://www.reaxys.com (No registration is required)

Off-campus Access: http://proxy.library.georgetown.edu/login?url=https://www.reaxys.com

Reaxys Support Information

In order to make the most out of Reaxys, Elsevier provides a range of free training and orientation materials:

Reaxys Training Center: for self-training and to learn more about how to use Reaxys please visit the Reaxys Training Center where you can view and download instructional materials (e.g. demos, videos, manuals)

Reaxys Orientation Webinar: a quick introduction into Reaxys ensures your trial period is of maximum value for everyone involved. You can ask for an individual webinar to be delivered on any working day, at a time convenient to you at the Reaxys contact page (http://www.info.reaxys.com/contact).

Reaxys Standard Webinars: register for the weekly webinars at the Reaxys Info Website (http://www.info.reaxys.com/webinars).

For further assistance and information about Reaxys, please consult the Help section within the Reaxys database – this tab is visible no matter which page you are in.

If you have any questions about the resources or need additional information or want to share with your experiences and comments, please contact Yan He at yh83@georgetown or call her at 7-2573.