Chemistry: What is in SciFinder?

Categorize is a powerful way to analyze search results by substances and by index terms.

CAS Registry Numbers make great keyword search terms.

Look at how SciFinder breaks your search into concepts ... it affects how your search is run. 

Use prepositions in keyword searches!

SciFinder is six CAS databases plus MEDLINE

• References and abstracts (CAPLUS) -- Online version of Chemical Abstracts which indexes and abstracts journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, and patents (1900 to present) >51 Million records.
• Substances (REGISTRY) -- Search by chemical structure, chemical name, and CAS Registry Number. >160 Million substances
• Reactions (CASREACT) -- Reaction searching "1840" to present. >123 Million reactions
• Markush patent structures (MARPAT)
• Regulated Chemicals (CHEMLIST) -- Regulated chemical listings for the U.S. and other countries
• Chemical Suppliers (CHEMCATS) -- Commercial sources: 600 suppliers & 700 catalogs
• MEDLINE -- National Library of Medicine medical database (1958 to present)

References, Substances, and Reactions (as of 5-1-2020)

 51 million references to articles, patents, conference proceedings, technical reports, books, and dissertations.

160 million organic and inorganic substances

68 million sequences

123 million reactions

500,000 regulated substances

1.12 million Markush structures

Commercially available substances

Reaction search in SciFinder is a terrific tool, but remember that not all reactions have been included. Pre-1985 reactions have only been selectively added.

CAS began adding most, but not all, reactions from journals articles (1985 to present) and from patents (1991 to present).

CAS has added reaction database collections form other vendors and has been selectively adding reactions dating back to ~1840.

Bottom line ... just because a reaction is not in the SciFinder reaction database does not mean that an article describing the reaction is not in SciFinder.