University of Texas at Austin
Libraries Home | Mobile | My Account | Renew Items | Sitemap | Help |
support us

University of Texas Libraries

University of Texas Libraries
Celebrating the Life

Which Database Should You Use?


  SciFinder Web of Science Reaxys
Scope & Purpose SciFinder provides access to the full suite of CAS databases for advanced students and researchers. It is comprehensive. Web of Science provides access to the Science Citation Index. It is best used for searching and tracking citations and cited authors. Reaxys (Beilstein + Gmelin + Patent Chemistry) covers organic, organometallic, and inorganic compounds and their reactions, synthesis, and properties.
Number of bibliographic records 35 million+ millions 19 million+
Number of substance records 70 million+ N/A 21 million+
Journals Covered About 10,000 currently scanned. More than 6,600 selected "source journals" across the sciences are fully indexed. Currently about 400 for core indexing. Historically the Beilstein and Gmelin handbooks covered many more sources inclucing patents, and Beilstein was essentially comprehensive for organic chemistry up to 1959. In 2013 Reaxys added bibliographic data from 16,000 additional publications but these are not indexed for chemical structures and facts as the 400 core journals are.
Types of Literature Covered All kinds: Journals, Patents, Dissertations, Technical Reports, Conferences, selected books, etc. Journals; plus selected conference proceedings since 1990 Journals and selected patents
Dates Covered CA: 1907-present; some pre-1907 records have been added. 1965-present (coverage in UT's subscription) ca.1770-present
Languages Covered 50+ primarily English primarily English and German; also French, Russian and others.
Types of Searching Research topic; chemical name/synonym; chemical structure and substructure; chemical reaction; Property data; Registry Number; Author/Inventor; molecular formula; patent number; etc. Keyword; author; organization; cited reference; funding agency; grant number; publication name Chemical structure and substructure; chemical reaction; chemical name/synonym; CAS RN; MF; Property data; bibliographic data
Chemical Structures? Yes No Yes
CAS Registry Numbers? Yes No Yes for most older organic (Beilstein) compound records; newer Beilstein records and most Gmelin (inorganic) records lack RNs.
Chemical Reactions? Yes: Primary file covers organic/organometallic reactions from CA since 1985; plus others drawn from various third-party sources, 1840-present. No Yes: organic reactions (Beilstein) thoroughly to 1959, selectively thereafter. Inorganic/organometallic reactions (Gmelin) selectively to present.
Chemical Spectra? Yes; many experimental IR, UV, NMR, MS plus millions of predicted NMR spectra from ACD Labs. No Spectral data and literature references for many compounds; no graphical spectra.
Links to Electronic Full Text Yes, for journals and patents. Yes: find it at UT Yes
Automatic Alerts? Yes; "Keep Me Posted" Yes Yes
More Information SciFinder FAQ Citation Searching Reaxys Guide