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Chemistry Information

Most of the printed chemistry materials are shelved in the "QD" section in the stacks, the current periodicals display or the reference collection - all on the 9th floor of the Bobst Library. To locate materials in this guide or other print sources, consult BobCat.

An increasing portion of basic works in chemistry is now available electronically. Some of these sources are duplicates of print or updates and continuations; others are solely electronic. The electronic sources are available through the Arch. Click on "E-resources by subject," and then "Chemistry". Then select the format required (for example, "Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, and Other Reference Works," or "Audio Collections").

Librarian for Chemistry

Margaret Smith
New York University Bobst Library
Coles Science Center, 9th floor
70 Washington Square So.
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998-2619
E-mail: margaret.smith@nyu.edu

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Chemistry Abbreviations and Acronyms

Biomolecular Chemistry

Organic and Inorganic Chemistry

Physical/Experimental Chemistry

Theoretical Chemistry

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Mega Chemistry Site

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Journal Information

Databases and Patents

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Data and Handbooks

  • Landolt-Bornstein, New Series. Group 2 concentrates on Molecules and Radicals; Group 4 on Physical Chemistry. Both have numerical data and functional relationships. (Print counterpart at Bobst REF9.QC61.L36x.)
  • The Aldrich Library of FT-IR Spectra. 3 vols., C.J. Pouchert, ed. Milwaukee: The Aldrich Chemical Co., 1985. A compilation of graphic representations of a many IR spectra of organic compounds indexed by name and molecular formula.
    Bobst REF9.QD96.I5 P66 1985
  • The Aldrich Library of 13C and 1H FT NMR Spectra. 3 vols. C.J.Pouchert and J. Behnke, eds. Milwaukee: The Aldrich Chemical Co., 1993. Combined protein and 13C spectra for nearly 12,000 compounds, arranged by functional group. The indexes are by name, molecular formula, CAS registry number and Aldrich Catalog number. Bobst REF9.QC462.85.A44 1993
  • Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Cleveland, OH: CRC Press, 1967/68-. This is the best starting point for numerical data in Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. Bobst REF9 QD 65 .C51
  • Knovel Library. A variety of searchable e-books grouped by subject. 209 titles included in the "Chemistry and Chemical Engineering" category.
  • NIST Chemistry WebBook. Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Standards and Technology. This database contains thermodynamic, chromatographic, and spectral data compiled by NIST under the Standard Reference Data program. It is searched by: Formula, Name, Partial formula, CAS Registry number, Spectra, Molecular weight, or Author.
  • The Sadtler Standard Spectra Collection. Philadelphia: Sadtler Research Labs. This is a very comprehensive microfilm collection of Infrared, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Ultraviolet, Raman spectra. Indexes to the collection are located with it. Bobst Microform Reading Room - LL2
  • ChemFinder. CambridgeSoft Corp. Physical property data and chemical structures for several thousand common compounds. Search by: Chemical name, CAS Registry number, Molecular formula, or Molecular weight. Plug-in required for structure or substructure queries.
  • Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997. 7th ed. This is from the Knovel Library(see above). It has physical properties, design, applications for science, technology, engineering.
  • Lange's Handbook of Chemistry. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1973-. 15th ed. Also from the Knovel Library, this is another classic data handbook reference. It covers all branches of chemistry.

Encyclopedias

  • Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology

    4th ed. 25 vols, plus index and supplements. New York: Wiley, 1991-2004 5th ed. 20 volumes to date, 2004-. This is the classic work in chemical technology. The major emphasis is on chemical substances, their properties, manufacture and uses. The long articles have bibliographies. Compounds are cross referenced to CA Registry and Beilstein registry numbers. (Print counterpart available at Bobst REF9 TP 9 .E685)

  • Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry

  • Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs And Biologicals.

    13th ed. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck, 2001. Over 10,000 entries on substances; summarizing their properties, providing the structure, the substance's uses, registry numbers and primary bibliographic citations on the compounds. The chemicals are indexed by name, registry numbers, empirical formulas,and therapeutic category. This one volume includes brief descriptions of chemicals, drugs, and biological substances. Each entry gives variant names, trademarks, formulas, usage, and references. Bobst REF9 RS 51 .M4 2001

  • Patty's industrial hygiene and toxicology

    New York: Wiley, 2001. 5th ed. 9v. Patty's is the standard reference for occupational health and toxicology professionals. It contains comprehensive toxicological data for industrial compounds from metals to synthetic polymers and includes CAS numbers, RTECS numbers, physical and chemical properties. (Print counterpart at Bobst REF9 RA 1224.P38 2001.)
  • Comprehensive Chemistry series. These specialized encyclopedic works are all on shelf in REF9.
    • Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry
      Bobst REF9.QD474.C65

    • Comprehensive Heterocyclic Chemistry
      Bobst REF9 QD400.C65

    • Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry
      Bobst REF9.QD151.2.C44

    • Comprehensive Natural Product Chemistry
      Bobst REF9 QD415.C63

    • Comprehensive Organic Chemistry
      Bobst REF9 QD245.C65

    • Comprehensive Organic Functional Group Transformations
      Bobst REF9 QD262.C534

    • Comprehensive Organic Synthesis
      Bobst REF9 QD262.C535

    • Comprehensive Organometallic Chemistry
      Bobst REF9 QD411.C65

    • Comprehensive Supramolecular Chemistry
      Bobst REF9QD411.C66

Databases

  • Chemical Abstracts. Columbus, OH: American Chemical Society. 1907-present. Via SciFinder Scholar (1907 to present with some pre-1907 references) which is available on terminals in Bobst Library. To connect, the path is START->Programs->Chemistry->SciFinder Scholar 2006->SciFinder Scholar. Chemical Abstracts is the major resource in Chemistry. SciFinder Scholar provides access to CAPlus - the current database of chemical literature. It lists journal articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, technical reports, book reviews, biographical information, dissertations and U.S. and foreign chemical patents. It includes CASREAC, the reaction database, the REGISTRY (substances and their structure (including gene sequences) from 1957, and CHEMLIST regulatory information, from 1979 to present. MEDLINE, 1950-present, is also included in CA.
  • Science Citation Index (SCI). Philadelphia: ISI. 1900-present. This is accessible only electronically from the database Web of Science. Updated weekly, it covers literature from 1900 to present. General Search for articles by subject term, author name, journal title, or author affiliation. Cited Reference Search for articles that cite a specified author or article.
  • Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index (CASSI). Columbus, OH: Chemical Abstracts Service, 1907-1984. 3 vols. Quarterly supplements 1990-1994. Information on serials abstracted by CAS. This source is invaluable for identifying the accurate complete name of the serial number and locating libraries that own these publications. Bobst REF9 Z 5532 .A523

Subject-specific Reference Works

    Computational Chemistry

  • Encyclopedia of Computational Chemistry

    • Inorganic Chemistry

  • Gmelin's Handbuch der Anorganishchen Chemie. 8th ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1926-1998. Online: 1926 to date. To connect on-campus, the path is START > Programs > Chemistry > Beilstein-Gmeilin > Beilstein Commander 2000. Contact ITS for information about downloading software for use outside Bobst Library.

    This is the most comprehensive work in inorganic chemistry; critically evaluated data is arranged according to Gmelin's system of elements and their compounds. Each entry covers history, occurrence, properties, methods of preparation, and commercial process of manufacture, followed by references to the original literature. Cumulative Formula Indexes cover main work and supplements. (Print counterpart at Bobst REF9 QD 151 .G524.)

  • Inorganic Synthesis. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1939 to date. This is an annual series of detailed and tested methods for the synthesis of inorganic compounds. Individual volumes have subject and formula indexes. While there is no collective index to series, indexes cumulate every 5 volumes.
    Bobst REF9 QD151 .A1I5

    • Organic Chemistry

  • Beilstein's Handbuch der Organischen Chemie. 4th ed. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1918-1998. Online: 1772 to date. To connect on-campus, the path is START > Programs > Chemistry > Beilstein-Gmeilin > Beilstein Commander 2000. Contact Chemistry Librarian to download software for use outside Bobst Library. Beilstein is a database describing millions of organic compounds including organometallics and organic reactions. It is current up to about a year of the present date. Searchable for physical and chemical data. Using CHEMDRAW one may also search for substructures, and reaction information, including reagents and products, alone or in combination. Beilstein contains thermodynamic and spectra information. (Print counterpart at Bobst REF9 QD 251.B42.)
  • Dictionary of Organic Compounds. 6th ed. New York: Chapman and Hall, 1996. 9 volumes plus supplement. This is a selective list of organic compounds; each entry contains information on physical properties, derivatives and bibliographic references. The entires are indexed by Name, Formula, and CAS Registry Number.
    Bobst REF9 QD 251 .H45
  • Cambridge Structural Database System. Semiannual. Computer version: Coles Science Center, Bobst Library, Terminal #10. This is a fairly complete index and database for crystallography. It has draw and search features Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry. (Print counterpart available at
    Bobst REF9.QD151.2.C441 .H45.)
  • Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Syntheses. New York: Wiley, 1995. 8 volumes. This work describes standard reagents and their uses in specific reaction pathways.
    Bobst REF9 QD 77 .E53
  • Organic Syntheses. The series is an annual compilation of reported laboratory methods for preparing specific organic compounds. The online version appears quarterly. (Print counterpart available at Bobst REF9 QD262.O6.)
  • Fieser, M. Reagents for Organic Synthesis. New York: Wiley, 1967 to date. This listing includes descriptions (e.g., physical data, preferred methods of preparation, suppliers, and examples of significant uses) of reagents of use to organic chemists. It is indexed by Author, Subject, and Reagent class. Bobst REF9 QD 262 .F5
  • Handbook of Physical Properties of Organic Chemicals. Boca Raton, Fla.: Lewis Publishers, 1997. This set of tables gives structure and data about selected compounds: melting and boiling points,, water solubility, octanol/water partition coefficients, vapor pressure, pKa, Henry's Law constant, and reaction rate constants are given. The material is indexed by CAS Number, name, or molecular formula. Bobst REF9 QD 257.7 .H374
  • Organic Reactions. New York: Wiley, 1942 to date. This is a collection of critical reviews of widely used organic reactions and their application to specific syntheses. Each volume contains detailed cumulative Subject, Author and Reaction Indices to the entire series. Bobst REF9 QD 251 .O7

    • Biochemistry

    The primary source for the recent biochemical literature is Chemical Abstracts. PubMed is also a good index and can be used separately. Both are online at the library homepage: http://library.nyu.edu. Click on "articles via databases" and then "databases by title". These databases provide bibliographic data, sequences, genomes, organisms, and toxicology data.

  • Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1969 to date. The series discusses biochemical methods with emphasis on applications but also includes history and theory. Bobst REF9 QD 415.5 .W67
  • Methods in Enzymology. Colowick, S.P., ed. New York: Academic Press, 1955 to date. Each volume is a monograph that covers a specific topic or method used in the study of enzymes. Bobst REF9 QP 601 .C733
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