Using printed Chemical Abstracts

Introduction

Chemical Abstracts lists papers published in chemistry and related fields (chemical engineering, biochemistry, materials, etc) from all over the world from 1907 to the present day. By bringing these together, with indexes each week, every 6 months, and every 5 years, it provides a single access point to much of the world's literature in these fields. It is shelved in the Whinfield Library in the Chemistry Department (volumes up to 1975 are shelved in Compact Store 2 in the JB Morrell Library).

For most papers, an abstract is provided. This can be just a few words, or a fairly detailed account of the contents of the paper, sometimes including structures and key numerical results. For all papers the full bibliographic reference is given, enabling you to look for the journal in our Library catalogue and, if necessary, to obtain the paper on inter-library loan.

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Uses of Chemical Abstracts

  • To locate material on a specific subject (which may be a chemical substance) or material by a specific author. This may be for a major literature search, as at the start of a Ph.D. project, or may be to find a few quick references.
  • To see an abstract of a known paper, to evaluate it before requesting it on Inter-Library Loan.
  • To check an inadequate reference obtained from another source - to complete or correct its information.
  • As a substitute, in some circumstances, for consulting the original literature where this is inaccessible - e.g. untranslated literature in difficult foreign languages.
  • To keep up to date any previous literature search, by checking each fortnightly relevant issue of CA.

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Arrangement of individual weekly issues

Since 1962, the content of CA has been subdivided into 80 sections; each abstract is allocated to one of these sections, though cross-references are included in cases where more than one section might be appropriate. The weekly issues are of two types, published alternately: organic chemistry and biochemistry (sections 1-34) one week and physical and applied chemistry (sections 35-80, including materials, fuel, etc) the other.

Each weekly issue contains Keyword, Author, Numerical Patent and Patent Concordance Indexes.

Within each section, the abstracts are arranged in the following order:

  1. Journal papers, including reviews.
  2. Books, monographs, etc., listed by title, author and publisher; standards and theses appear here.
  3. Patents.
  4. Cross-references by title and abstract number to other sections where relevant abstracts appear.

For each paper, the information given includes:

  • CA abstract number: a number followed by a check-letter, which uniquely identifies that abstract, e.g. 109:109559j.
  • Title: title of paper, translated if necessary.
  • Bibliographic reference: all the information needed to find the original paper in this Library or to apply for it on Inter-Library Loan.
  • Author's address: where any correspondence or request for reprint can be addressed.
  • Language: language of original paper. Avoids wasted effort in obtaining unusable papers.
  • Abstract: can be just a few words, or a fairly extensive summary of the contents of the paper. Numerical values and structure diagrams are sometimes included.

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Indexes

Although the weekly parts have simple indexes, the full power of CA indexes appears only in the Volume indexes produced each 6 months and the Collective indexes which cover 5 years.

These indexes are arranged by Author, Chemical Substance, Formula, Ring System, Patent, and General Subject. In all the indexes, references to particular papers give the volume number and abstract number; some are also annotated P, R or B to indicate Patents, Review articles, or Books (or chapters in the books). You can thus select or exclude these categories at the index stage.

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Registry Numbers

In the Index Guide, Chemical Substance Index, and Formula Index, each substance is accompanied by its Registry Number. This number uniquely identifies the substance and there is a Registry Number Index to interpret known registry numbers. The registry number cannot be used directly in searching the volumes of CA, but it can usefully be used to check that the compound found is the one sought, especially when the name being used in the index is very long. The number is useful for searching CA by computer.

Index guide

Before using the Chemical Substance or General Subject indexes, you must use the Index Guide. This alphabetical listing refers you from unused headings to the correct index terms, and often gives other information about the use of different headings. There is an Index Guide corresponding to each 5-year index since 1972 (previously similar notes were included in the main index). From 1987 onwards, the Index Guide also lists all general subject index headings; in earlier editions headings were only listed when there were comments to be made about their use.

Chemical substance index

Includes the systematic names as given in the Index Guide, using 'benzeneamine' for 'aniline' for example. As this nomenclature has changed somewhat with each Collective Index period, you need significant chemical nomenclatural expertise. It is often easier to use the Formula Index.

Formula index

The Formula Index is arranged using the Hill System. Symbols are arranged in the order Carbon, Hydrogen (if carbon is present), then other elements alphabetically. The lower number of atoms precedes the higher, i.e. C2 precedes C3.

Patent index

The Patent Index lists patents by country of origin and patent number. Earlier volumes also include a "Patent concordance" by which a family of identical patents in different countries can be traced. More indexes for patents, and copies of all patents from the UK, US, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, France and Netherlands are available at the Leeds City Libraries Patents Information Unit, 32 York Road, Leeds LS9 8TD (0532 488747). The Patents Information Unit can also carry out searches of online databases which usually cost £10-£30.

General subject index

This lists classes of substance, processes, biological organisms, and any other subject which is not a well-defined chemical substance. Before 1972 chemical substances and other subjects were both included in the Subject Index. Use the Index Guide to check headings before searching the Subject Index.