Library Guides: Open Educational Resources (OER): Chemistry

Open Resources in Chemistry

This page provides access to textbook repositories along with other selected open resources.

The purpose of these discipline specific pages is to showcase content that might be of interest to faculty who are considering adopting open educational resources for use in their classes. This list of content is by no means exhaustive, and more resources will be continually added.

Students may also wish to browse these materials to review difficult concepts and access practice problems, or to use as a reference for common chemical information.

The nature of open educational resources is very collaborative and it is in that spirit that we encourage any comments about the content featured on this page or recommendations of content that are not already listed here.

Photo by Hans Reniers on Unsplash

Open Textbooks

Chemistry by Pau Flowers; Klaus Theopold; Richard Langley; William R. Robinson
ISBN: 1938168399
Publication Date: 2015
Chemistry is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the two-semester general chemistry course. The textbook provides an important opportunity for students to learn the core concepts of chemistry and understand how those concepts apply to their lives and the world around them. The book also includes a number of innovative features, including interactive exercises and real-world applications, designed to enhance student learning.
Chemistry: Atoms First by Edward J. Neth; Pau Flowers; Klaus Theopold; Richard Langley; William R. Robinson
ISBN: 1938168151
Publication Date: 2016-06-07
Chemistry: Atoms First is a peer-reviewed, openly licensed introductory textbook produced through a collaborative publishing partnership between OpenStax and the University of Connecticut and UConn Undergraduate Student Government Association.
This title is an adaptation of the OpenStax Chemistry text and covers scope and sequence requirements of the two-semester general chemistry course. Reordered to fit an atoms first approach, this title introduces atomic and molecular structure much earlier than the traditional approach, delaying the introduction of more abstract material so students have time to acclimate to the study of chemistry. Chemistry: Atoms First also provides a basis for understanding the application of quantitative principles to the chemistry that underlies the entire course.

Concept Development Studies in Chemistry - OpenStax
This collection of Concept Development Studies in Chemistry is presented to redirect the focus of learning. In each concept development study, a major chemical concept is developed and refined by analysis of experimental observations and careful reasoning. Each study begins with the definition of an initial Foundation of assumed knowledge, followed by a statement of questions which arise from the Foundation. Analysis of these questions is presented as a series of observations and logical deductions, followed by further questions. This detailed process is followed until the conceptual development of a model provides a reasonable answer to the stated questions.
Virtual Textbook of Organic Chemistry - William Reusch
An interactive textbook covering the usual topics treated in a college sophomore-level course.
General Chemistry - Wikibooks
Comprehensive introductory text.
Organic Chemistry - Wikibooks
Comprehensive organic chemistry text.
Thermodynamics and Chemistry - Howard Devore
Thermodynamics and Chemistry is designed primarily as a textbook for a one-semester course in classical chemical thermodynamics at the graduate or undergraduate level. It can also serve as a supplementary text and thermodynamics reference source. Most recent update was 2016.
Electrochemistry
Open Access, peer-reviewed edited book on selected topics in electrochemistry.
LibreTexts Chemistry Core collection
Online texts in analytical, biological, environmental, organic, inorganic, and physical & theoretical chemistry. Although these divisions are historical and, perhaps, arbitrary—as witnessed by current interest in interdisciplinary areas such as bioanalytical chemistry and organometallic chemistry—they remain the simplest division spanning the discipline of chemistry. The LibreTexts core content is separated into the primary sections and is meant a supplementary material to augment the LibreTexts (that are custom designed and developed "textbooks" for individual instructors, classes or schools) or Textbook Maps (content organized to "recreate" existing textbooks).
Boundless Chemistry
OER Chemistry text, broken into easily digestible chapters.

Other Resources

Open Chemistry (OpenChem)
Full curriculum of recorded lectures covering undergraduate chemistry plus selected graduate topics. UCI's goal is to provide resources not only for learners, but for instructors, as well. Any of our OpenChem materials are immediately available for use by institutions or individual professors teaching their own courses (UC Irvine)
Organic Structure Elucidation: A workbook of unknowns
Workbook for solving the structures of organic compounds from spectroscopic data. This online workbook has been developed for senior undergraduate and graduate students learning to solve the structures of organic compounds from spectroscopic data. (Notre Dame)
ChemCollective - Resources to Teach and Learn Chemistry
The ChemCollective is a collection of virtual labs, scenario-based learning activities, tutorials, and concept tests. Teachers can use our content for pre-labs, for alternatives to textbook homework, and for in-class activities for individuals or teams. Students can review and learn chemistry concepts using our virtual labs, simulations, and tutorials. The ChemCollective is organized by a group of faculty and staff at Carnegie Mellon who are interested in using, assessing, and creating engaging online activities for chemistry education.
PhET
Interactive simulations for science and math; game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery. (UC Boulder)
Organic Chemistry Portal
The Organic Chemistry Portal offers an overview of recent topics, interesting reactions, and information on important chemicals for organic chemists.
Martindale's Virtual Chemistry Center
This site contains a variety of teaching modules aimed at 1st and 2nd year students. It includes links to webcasts and videos related introductory college material, as well as lab demonstrations. Some really unbelievable materials!
Merlot Chemistry Portal
MERLOT is a leading edge, user-centered, searchable collection of peer reviewed and selected higher education, online learning materials, catalogued by registered members and a set of faculty development support services.
Science.gov
Science.gov searches over 60 databases and over 2,200 scientific websites to provide users with access to more than 200 million pages of authoritative federal science information including research and development results.
ChemWeb
Search journals, books, conferences news, forums and the Alchemist newsletter. A number of databases offer structure-based searching and manipulation of molecular structures.