LabArchives is a versatile platform for lab notebooks. Every now and then, I get characterization data for reagents, which I put into a “Reagents” folder. I prefer to put each compound on its own page and number each page. I double-click them to resize them to something reasonable (e.g., 300 pixels in height). Then, I quickly crop the images in Google Photos, right-click and copy them, and paste them into my notebook entries (the rich text portion). My photos automatically upload to Google Photos. For UV-absorbing compounds, I like to cut a ~1″ square hole in the top of a shoebox-sized box, cut a ~3″ x 6″ “door” in the side to shine in a UV lamp, and then photograph the plate inside the box. For TLC plates, take a photograph of the plate with your phone.
INSERT DRAWING FROM CHEMDRAW INTO MESTRENOVA INSTALL
FolderMonitor could be good here (if you install it on the computer where you collect a lot of data and set it up to upload it automatically), but I find it’s easier to just upload to each individual page. Upload all relevant data (I do PDFs exported from TopSpin for NMR).The pooled organic phase was dried (Na2SO4), filtered, and concentrated in vacuo, affording acetylsalicylic acid as a white solid in 87% yield (113.8 mg, 631.8 µmol). It was diluted with 0.1 N HCl (20 mL) and extracted with EtOAc (3 x 15 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred for 10 h at ambient temperature. µL, 1.59 mmol, 2.2 eq) was added to a solution of salicylic acid (100.3 mg, 726.2 µmol) in anhydrous pyridine (2.5 mL). When you hit “save to page,” you’ll have a decent spreadsheet you can edit in your notebook.Īcetic anhydride (150. In LabArchives, insert a Google Doc and paste the link.Change the sharing settings to “Anyone with the link can edit,” then copy the link. I like to calculate the theoretical amounts of all solids I’m supposed to weigh out, then go back and fill in the actual amounts as I weight them. Use formulas to make all of the calculations (e.g, for mmoles, just do =*/).Unit (narrow column-just big enough to fit “mg” or “µL”).Starting in cell B7, make columns for the following:.(Optional, but makes searching easier) Copy the structure as a SMILES string (Edit → Copy As → SMILES (⌥⌘C (Mac) or Ctrl + Alt + C (Windows)), and paste.Copy the text box near the structure containing the IUPAC name, formula, MW, and exact mass, and paste into the LabArchives rich text entry.Then, use View → Show Analysis Window → Paste to add formula, molecular weight, and exact mass to the document.In ChemDraw, select the product, and use the Structure → Convert Structure to Name command (⌥⌘N (Mac) or Ctrl + Alt + N (Windows)).Copy and paste from the Word document into a rich text entry in LabArchives.From there, copy and paste the structures and arrow into a Word document.Experimental write-up and characterization data.While it may not offer all of the chemistry-specific bells and whistles that come with Perkin-Elmer’s offerings or the slick ease-of-use that comes with (more biology-focused) Benchling, LabArchives is a serviceable option for synthetic chemists with the right tricks.Ī good notebook entry for a reaction consists of three parts: Once you learn to use it, however, LabArchives isn’t half-bad. If you do organic synthesis research, you may be disappointed at first as you struggle with the silly chemical sketcher widget, complete lack of integration with ChemDraw, and weak stock spreadsheet widget. As a “jack-of-all-trades” electronic lab notebook, it tries to cater to every field of science. LabArchives-love it or hate it, a growing number of academic institutions are adopting it ( reviewed here).