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Overview: MDL/Beilstein Crossfire (shows as Beilstein Commander on the start button on Chemistry’s public workstations) is a client-server package which provides access to the Beilstein and the Gmelin databases. Beilstein covers over 7.5 million organic compounds and Gmelin covers over 1 million inorganic and organometallic compounds. The databases may be searched by facts such as identification information and properties or by chemical structure. The current version of the database allows both databases to be searched at the same time. These databases are available to UW students, faculty, and staff only.

Getting the software: The software is already loaded on all Chemistry Library Public Workstations and many others within the UW Science Libraries. It may also be placed on your own machines at home or in your office. There is a client for PCs and one for Macs. Version 6.0 is the current version. Connect to http://minerva.library.wisc.edu to get the software. Be sure to read the instructions provided. For more information and details required to complete your setup, go to http://www.lib.washington.edu/chemistry/beilstein.html.

Getting started: Normal installation of the client should automatically connect you to the databases at the University of Wisconsin when launched. The initial screen allows you to choose to search either the Beilstein or the Gmelin or both databases at once. Be sure to choose the option you wish by checking the appropriate box. From this page you can enter a text search, a data search (by identification or property value) or a structure search (exact, substructure, reaction).

Excellent orientation to searching is provided by the University of Chicago. Links are found at http://www.lib.washington.edu/chemistry/beilhelp.html. I highly recommend reviewing each of these before starting.

Hints for searching Facts/Tabular data:

• You may search for multiple concepts such as a molecular formula and a name segment and a melting point by using Boolean logic (and, or, not).
• Chemical Abstracts Registry numbers are useful for searching but exist for only about 4 million of the over 7.5 million compounds.
• Your chances of finding an answer by exact chemical name are slim. Try name segments or combination of segments and molecular formula, etc.) Beilstein has very few synonyms though this is improving. Structure, if known, can be a better way to search. Use truncation to increase your chances of retrieval. `?’ searches for any single character (cat and cats), multiple question marks may be used to search for multiple variation. `*’ is a general wildcard, searching for any number of characters. Both left and right hand truncation (beginning and end of a term) are allowed.

Comments? Questions? call 3-2070 or email curie@u.washington.edu