ChemBioDraw Key Commands

Format Document
1. Go to File
Apply Document Settings from
ACS 1996
2. Go to Object
Uncheck Fixed Lengths
3. Go to View
Check Show Rulers
4. Draw a single bond vertically from the top to the bottom of the page at the 3” and 6”
marks. Draw any given mechanism within the boundary of these lines.
5. Go to Object
Check Fixed Lengths

Control Fixed Lengths - By default, leave checked (under Structure in menu). Uncheck to
custom stretch or shrink length of bond in cases where two functional groups or atoms
visually interfere with each other.

Insert Numbers as Subscripts for Molecular Formula – Select CH2 Structure button from
menu bar at top of window; entered numbers will display in subscript.

Insert Reagent Arrow – Choose third from left. To resize the drawn arrow, choose the arrow
button. Then select the arrow and stretch or shrink as necessary.

List Reagents – Select text tool from drawings tool bar, then type above and below arrow. To
align text with respect to arrow, select Object
Align
L/R Centers. Then repeat, but
instead select B/T Centers. Next go to Object
Group to merge arrow object with text object
into one object.

Insert Mechanism Arrows - Generally speaking, the least extreme curved arrow is most
appropriate. Rarely use the most extreme curved arrow.

Insert Custom Arrow – Select pen in drawings toolbar, and then go to Curves
Select
Arrow at End. Once drawn, adjust curves in arrow by manipulating adjustment points.

Insert Lone Pairs – Select lone pair from drawings toolbar and place near but not on target
atom. Go to Object
Scale
Rotate and position lone pairs to fit atom, as necessary.

Create Anion of Atom – Select (-) button from drawings toolbar, then place (-) on proton.

Move Drawn Object – Select drawn structure using marquee from drawings toolbar and
move freely. Select structure using marquee then hold SHIFT to move drawn structure
horizontally or vertically on guided track.

Duplicate Drawn Object - Select structure using marquee from drawings toolbar then hold
CTRL to drag a copy of drawn structure freely. Hold CTRL + SHIFT to drag a copy of
structure horizontally or vertically on guided track.
Clean Up Drawn Structure – To “clean up” the elements in a drawn structure (e.g. bond
angles, orientation of text), go to Structure
Clean Up Structure.

Rotate/Resize Objects Using Lasso – Select object with lasso tool from drawings toolbar.
Top of lassoed object will display angle rotation option and lower right will display resize
option.

Rotate Drawn Objects by Angle - Go to Object
Rotate
set desired angle (useful to
rotate drawn rings to a desired orientation).

Group Drawn Objects – To merge drawn objects into one object, go to Object
Group, or
press CTRL G.

Distribute Drawn Objects – To distribute drawn reactant, reagent arrow, and product objects
evenly, select Object
Distribute Horizontally/Vertically. Follow up with Object
Align

T/B Centers, if necessary).

Fine Tune Text/Object Placement – To manipulate the position of objects with precision,
use arrow keys. Alternatively, magnify image to 200-400%, then use cursor to orient
text/object to desired location.

Insert Special Symbols – To insert special symbols (e.g. degree, racemic, partial charge,
Greek characters), go to View
Show Character Map Window
select desired character.

Helpful Shortcuts:
Hover over any carbon + 9 to add 2 single bonds
Hover over any carbon + 8 to adds a tert-butyl
Hover over any carbon + first letter of desired functional group to add probable
functional group (if the wrong functional group inserts, delete and enter first two
letters of desired functional group, or replace with text tool from drawings toolbar)

Notes

***SAVE FREQUENTLY*** Only one ChemBioDraw page may be saved at a time. The
software could present error messages during use, which requires you to restart the
application.

Microsoft Word: Copy and paste the desired mechanism from ChemBioDraw page into two-
column Word document. Right click object, go to Format Object
Size
set scale of
Height and Width to 80% (this tweak scales the drawn mechanism to the format of an ACS
publication).