Please note that Reaxys is temporarily requiring an additional step to access the database.

During this time, please follow the steps below to access Reaxys:

1. Connect using this link: Reaxys (also available from the Chemistry Library website)
2. Enter your UTORid and password when prompted.
3. A sign-in page will appear asking you to sign into your Reaxys account. This is different from your UTORid and password. Stay on this page (do not click Institutional Sign In).
   • If you have previously created a Reaxys account, enter you information on this page and click Sign In.
   • If you have not yet created a Reaxys account, click the "Not Registered?" link and enter your information. You will receive a confirmation email to complete your account.
4. Once you have signed in with both your UTORid and Reaxys account, you should be able to use the database as normal.

Login>>Reaxys

Reaxys is an electronic resource that can be used to find references for reactions and properties for chemical compounds. The Reaxys interface originally pulled information from three databases – Beilstein for organic compounds, Gmelin for inorganic compounds and complexes, and the Patent Chemistry database. It now incorporates new data from journals and patents worldwide. You can search Reaxys for references and information on:  

• Chemical reactions
• Organic and inorganic substances
• Measured substance property data (including identification, physical, spectroscopic, bioactivity and ecotoxicological data)

Also included is a synthesis planner that displays multi-step reaction plans with the ability to include alternate options for a synthesis route.

Why use Reaxys and not just Scifinder?

Reaxys has more properties and reactions than Scifinder plus a ton of biological activity data. Scifinder is superior for text-based searching.

Make sure you compare the data from both so you don't waste your time on a reaction that is already published!

Three ways you can search Reaxys:

1. Text, Authors and More Search for articles and patents by topic, author, journal citation or patent number.
2. Substances and Properties Search for particular substances by entering identification or property data, or by drawing the chemical structure or substructure.
3. Reactions Search for information on reactions by entering specific reaction data or by using the structure drawing software.

Full text articles: Since U of Toronto has online subscriptions to most the the key journals , you can often link directly from Reaxys to the full text. However we do not subscribe electronically to everything, so if the link does not work, search the UTL catalogue for the journal name to determine if we might get the journal online via another service or if we have it in print.

For more info and help on specific aspects of Reaxys, the Reaxys Support Center contains a lot of helpful info.

It contains FAQs, user guides, and video tutorials to help you get the best results from your searches.

Madeline Gerbig
Chemistry Librarian
A.D. Allen Chemistry Library
80 St. George Street, Room 480
(416) 978-3587 
maddy.gerbig@utoronto.ca