The desktop client version of the Cambridge Structural Database is installed on all PennKey authenticated computers in the Chemistry Library and can be accessed using an application called ConQuest. Please inquire at the Chemistry Library circulation desk if you are having difficulty finding or using the application on one of our computers. You can also download the database, the ConQuest client, and a selection of related software and helper applications to your own on-campus computer by visiting http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/8655/2. If you prefer not to install the database on your own computer, you may also use the Web-based CSD system by visiting http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/8655/1. Non-Penn users can use the publicly-accessible AccessStructures interface.
WebCSD is the Web-based interface to the Cambridge Structural Database, available to current Penn affiliates. It is recommended for individuals who wish to do a quick search of crystal structures or download individual .cif files.
Features
The CSD client software is installed on many computers in the Chemistry Library and can be downloaded to any on-campus computer. It is recommended for current Penn affiliates who wish to do more complex searches or perform more in-depth analysis on search results using one of the associated CCDC software applications.
Features
AccessStructures is the public-access interface to the structures deposited with CCDC. Non-Penn affiliates searching for a specific, known .cif file are encouraged to use this interface. Penn users will be automatically directed to WebCSD.
Features
The Cambridge Structural Database is produced by the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, a registered charity in the United Kingdom with the mission of collecting and making available high-quality crystal structure and structural chemistry information. CSD has long been a data repository in which chemists, engineers, and materials scientists have deposited their crystal structure data, and many journals require deposition in the CSD as part of the article submission process. The database currently contains X-ray and neutron diffraction analyses for carbon-containing compounds composed of up to 1000 atoms. Types of substances represented include:
The database is searchable by structure, text, or the journal article that the crystal structure accompanies, and it permits substructure searching. Entries for each compound include:
