OK, it’s time to poll the thundering masses. If you had to make a choice between subscribing to Beilstein or SciFinder for general access to the chemical literature, which would you take?? Let’s say that you needed to find compounds, articles, procedures, or see what the IP picture looked like. Forget TSCA registry and nomenclature services for purposes of this query.
Obviously, each has strengths. But if you had to take a side, what service would you take and why??
Lamentations on Chemistry 
Hi Gaussling:
This is a great question for everyone who can only afford one.
I have limited exposure to crossfire – so I cannot endorse sci finder with a clear conscience. But, I would suggest sci finder with the expectation that you will regularly need a hit at the crossfire.
Data! We need data!
Alas, I cancelled our Crossfire account several years ago and am now wondering if that was wise. A sales person is pestering me about signing up for Crossfire again.
And we do need data. Damned Skippy!!
I prefer Beilstein for organic stuff. The results are easier to scan and I like that you have references to properties listed.
When I started on my project though, I checked with SciFi, because it lets you cover more ground more quickly. It is easier to find analogous reactions and reviews on subjects. I like the way you can search scifi with different methods.
So if I had to decide I’d pick scifinder.
I think Scifinder has a bit more chemistry in it than Crossfire (more journals are indexed). I also don’t think Crossfire can do “multiple step” searches… you know A –> C (leaving out B) whereas SciFinder can… In Crossfire, you need to search for B—>C then A—>B… well, at least I do!
Though question! When I am looking for a single compound or for literature on a certain subject I use Sci-Fi, but for reactions (even if you have to look for every single step) I feel Beilstein is superior: the results are easier to browse through and I get the impression of having a better control over what I am searching. Sometimes with Sci-Fi you get too many results (but maybe I am not using it properly…) and it is often not easy to find really what you are looking for. If I had to choose I’d probably go with Sci-Fi (more extensive coverage), but I feel the two of them don’t overlap, so if you can afford them go for both!
I stopped using SciFinder because Beilstein charged a flat fee for all searches. SciFinder charges by the task. If you made a mistake in your query in SicFinder, you paid.
Gmelin module in Beilstein can search organometallic complexes. SciFinder cannot.
For synthetic chemistry/patent chemistry/inorganic chemistry, I recommend Beilstein.
SciFinder is not extensive. You want the real details, you have to use STN (even more expensive). SciFinder does not allow the export of results to SDF and RDF. If you stop the payment of tasks, you will never be able to open your datafile again.
For Reactions SciFinder goes back only to 1985 while Beilstein goes
to the 1800’s.
Beilstein permits MAXVALENCE sites which then gives generalized
reactions with a beginning structures.
But the Elsevier acquisition of Beilstein has brought sharp price increases and now Beilstein is due to cease at the end of 2010. Beilstein originally was a resource for the chemical community but then sold for profit by the Beilstein Institut which was supposed to sheppard it.