Support : Publications : Chronolog Archives : November/December 2004

New Beilstein Databases on Dialog

The Beilstein database (File 390) has been available on Dialog since 1989 and includes the contents of the Beilstein Handbook of Organic Chemistry, produced by the Beilstein Institute in Frankfurt in the Federal Republic of Germany, plus citations to journal literature covering organic chemistry. With the reload in 2004, the Beilstein database is now split into three separate files: Beilstein Facts (File 390), Beilstein Reactions (File 391) and Beilstein Abstracts (File 393).

The Beilstein Files

Beilstein Facts (File 390) contains structures and properties of organic substances such as melting point, boiling point, spectra data, optical properties, etc. Identity information on a substance includes Chemical Name and Synonyms (/NA, NA=), Beilstein Registry Number (BN=), Molecular Formula (MF=), Element Count, (/EC, EC=) and more. Chemical names and synonyms have been segmented in the Basic Index using the Dialog unique algorithm to permit easy searching by functional groups or substituents.

Beilstein Reactions (File 391) contains preparative data and chemical reactions. Each record has a Reaction ID, lists the reactant(s) (Beilstein Registry Number and name), products (Beilstein Registry Number and name), reaction classification, reaction details and references. Reaction details may include catalyst, reagent, solvent, temperature, pressure, yield, subject studied, reaction type, etc.

Beilstein Abstracts (File 393) is a new file and includes access to bibliographic data (journal articles and patents) and abstracts for references in the Facts and Reactions files from 180 of the leading journals in organic and related chemistry from 1980 to the present. Subjects covered include: Organic Chemistry, Ecological Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Chemistry of Natural Products, Bioactivity, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Ecological Chemistry.

All three files are updated quarterly.

Why use Beilstein?

Chemists throughout the world recognize the Handbook as the single largest collection of critically reviewed factual data for organic compounds. Consisting of over 500 volumes in its printed form, the Handbook includes data back to 1771. The Beilstein Institute reviews and evaluates information from journals, monographs and patents to distill data for the Handbook.

Chemists in universities, industry and research institutes can rely on the files to provide the information they need for detailed study and experimentation. The carefully checked and verified data in the file is also of value to physicists, analysts, chemical engineers, biochemists, biologists and members of the medical profession.

Use Beilstein databases to

• Find all reported physical properties of a substance (Beilstein Facts)
  
  
• Find substances with common structural features and/or properties (Beilstein Facts)
  
  
• Find ways to prepare a specific substance (Beilstein Reactions)
  
  
• Find substances isolated from a specific natural product (Beilstein Facts)
  
  
• Find research on specific organic chemicals reported in the scientific literature (Beilstein Abstracts)

Splitting File 390 into two files (390 — Beilstein Facts and 391 — Beilstein Reactions) enables easier searching. Users can move between the different types of information that deal with the same or similar compounds. Moreover, with the Beilstein Abstracts file, the researcher can quickly find an abstract of an article referenced in the other Beilstein files.

For more information on the Beilstein files, review the Bluesheets. Also, take note of the From the Experts article, which illustrates how to use the files together.

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