Glossary
Short explanations of the chemistry terms, identifiers, calculated properties, reaction concepts, and file formats shown in AtomLens.
Names and identifiers
- IUPAC name
- A systematic chemical name that describes a structure according to naming rules. AtomLens can experimentally translate supported IUPAC names into structure input.
- OPSIN
- The name-to-structure parser used by AtomLens for IUPAC name translation.
- SMILES
- A compact text line that encodes atoms, bonds, branches, rings, charges, and sometimes stereochemistry for a molecule.
- ISO SMILES
- AtomLens' label for isomeric SMILES, which keeps stereochemistry and isotope information when that information is available.
- CXSMILES
- An extended SMILES notation that can carry extra annotations such as coordinates, atom labels, highlights, Markush features, and query information.
- InChI
- The IUPAC International Chemical Identifier, a standard text identifier for a chemical structure.
- InChIKey
- A fixed-length hash derived from an InChI. It is easier to search and compare than the full InChI, but it is not a complete structure description.
- RInChI
- The Reaction InChI, a standard identifier that describes a chemical reaction by combining the InChI identifiers for its participants.
- RInChIKey
- A hash identifier derived from an RInChI. AtomLens shows long, short, and web variants when it can generate them.
- Long RInChIKey
- The most information-rich RInChIKey variant. It is longer but gives the lowest practical collision risk among the displayed RInChIKey forms.
- Short RInChIKey
- A shorter RInChIKey variant that AtomLens also uses when naming extracted reaction files.
- Web RInChIKey
- The shortest RInChIKey variant, intended for compact web search and linking rather than as the strongest unique identifier.
- RInChI Status
- The generation result for a reaction identifier. Success means the identifier was produced; warning or error means AtomLens received diagnostic messages.
- RInChI Messages
- Diagnostic text from the RInChI generator explaining warnings or errors.
- Molecular formula
- A count of the elements in a molecule, such as C2H6O for ethanol.
Structure properties
- Atom
- An individual element center in the structure, such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, or chlorine.
- Bond
- A connection between atoms. Bond order describes whether it is single, double, triple, aromatic, or another supported type.
- Heavy atom
- An atom other than hydrogen. Heavy atom count is often a quick measure of structure size.
- Molecular weight
- The calculated mass of one molecule, displayed in daltons (Da).
- Molar mass
- The mass of one mole of the substance, displayed in grams per mole (g/mol).
- Monoisotopic mass
- The mass calculated from the most common isotope of each element, useful for mass spectrometry work.
- Dalton (Da)
- A unit used for molecular-scale mass. One dalton is close to the mass of one proton or neutron.
- H-Bond Donor
- A group that can donate a hydrogen bond, commonly involving hydrogens attached to oxygen or nitrogen.
- H-Bond Acceptor
- An atom or group that can accept a hydrogen bond, commonly involving oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur lone pairs.
- TPSA
- Topological polar surface area. It estimates exposed polar surface from the 2D structure and is often used to reason about permeability.
- Van der Waals Volume
- An approximate volume occupied by the atoms in a molecule based on their van der Waals radii.
- Rotatable Bond
- A bond that can usually rotate freely. Higher counts often mean a more flexible molecule.
- Ring Count
- The number of ring systems detected in the molecule.
- Rule of Five
- Lipinski's quick guideline for drug-like small molecules, based on molecular weight, hydrogen bonding, and related properties.
- Aromaticity
- A bonding pattern common in benzene-like rings. AtomLens can draw aromatic systems with inner lines or aromatic circles.
- Stereochemistry
- Information about three-dimensional arrangement, such as wedge bonds, double-bond geometry, or chiral centers.
- Isotope
- An atom of the same element with a different mass number. Isotopes can be preserved in identifiers and isomeric SMILES.
- Charge
- A positive or negative formal charge assigned to an atom or group.
- Valency
- The expected number or pattern of bonds around an atom. Unusual valency can indicate a real special case or a malformed structure.
- Query atom
- An atom placeholder used in search or query formats. It can represent a class of possible atoms instead of one exact element.
- Query bond
- A bond placeholder used in search or query formats. It can represent several possible bond types.
- Highlight
- Visual annotation that marks atoms, bonds, or regions of interest without changing the underlying chemistry.
Reaction terms
- Reaction
- A chemical transformation with input substances and output substances, sometimes with agents or conditions.
- Reactant
- A starting substance consumed or transformed by the reaction.
- Agent
- A reagent, catalyst, solvent, or condition involved in the reaction but not treated as a main reactant or product.
- Product
- A substance produced by the reaction.
- Reaction participant
- Any reactant, agent, or product displayed as part of the reaction.
- Stoichiometry
- The relative amount or coefficient of a participant in a reaction.
- Direction
- The meaning of the reaction arrow, such as forward, backward, bidirectional, no-go, retrosynthetic, resonance, or undirected.
- Forward
- A reaction direction where reactants are transformed into products in the displayed left-to-right direction.
- Backward
- A reaction direction where the displayed arrow points from products back toward reactants.
- Bidirectional
- A reaction direction indicating that both forward and reverse transformations are relevant.
- No Go
- A reaction direction used to indicate that the transformation is not expected or did not proceed.
- Retrosynthetic
- A planning direction that works backward from a target product to possible starting materials.
- Resonance
- A relationship between alternative drawings of the same electronic structure, rather than a normal chemical conversion.
- Undirected
- A reaction record without a specific reaction direction.
- Atom-map number
- A number that links corresponding atoms across reactants and products so changes can be followed through a reaction.
- Reaction SMILES
- A SMILES-based text format for reactions, usually separating reactants, agents, and products with arrow-like delimiters.
Formats and notation
- CML
- Chemical Markup Language, an XML format for molecules and reactions.
- MDL Molfile
-
A common structure file format for one molecule, usually using the
.molextension. - MDL SDFile
-
A multi-record structure format, usually using
.sdfor.sd, that can store molecules plus named data fields. - SDF Attribute
- A named data field stored with an SDF record, such as a supplier ID, activity value, or annotation.
- V2000
- The older and widely supported MDL Molfile/RXN syntax.
- V3000
- A newer MDL Molfile/RXN syntax that can represent larger and more complex structures.
- MDL RXN
-
An MDL reaction file format, usually using the
.rxnextension. - MDL RDF
- An MDL reaction data file format that can contain reaction records plus associated data.
- Tripos MOL2
- A text structure format often used for molecular modeling and atom-type information.
- PDB
- Protein Data Bank format, commonly used for macromolecular 3D structures.
- XYZ
- A simple coordinate format listing atoms and 3D positions.
- CSV
- Comma-separated values. AtomLens uses CSV for extracted SDF attribute tables.
- SVG
- Scalable Vector Graphics. AtomLens can export or share structure drawings as resolution-independent artwork.
- PNG
- A raster image format useful for snapshots and sharing into apps that expect images.
- A page-based document format useful for printing, review, and vector-preserving sharing.
- Markush structure
- A generic structure with variable groups, often used to describe a family of related compounds.
- R-group
- A variable substituent in a Markush or query structure.
- Scaffold
- The main shared core of a structure or structure family.
- Repeat unit
- A structural unit that repeats in a polymer or repeating notation.
- Link node
- A notation feature that represents repeated attachment through a link in certain query or polymer-like structures.