Creating Molecules
When JChemPaint has been started, you automatically get an empty document.
In order to paint a structure the typical steps would be the following:
- Often it is the best to start with rings. Using the ring templates in
the button bar (click on a button and then in the document) you can build the
ring structures of the molecule. You can dock a ring to another ring by clicking
on an existing ring (the docking atom or bond will be highlighted while hovering over it). If the molecule
has no rings, go to the next step.
- The next step are typically the chains. Choose the
button, click on the atom where the chain
starts and then on the last atom of the chain to enlarge it.
- After this, you can add double/triple bonds by using
again and clicking on the bonds to make
double or triple. You can use
and
to make existing bonds wedge bonds or
you can draw wedge bonds directly by clicking on an existing bond.
- Finally the atoms need to be set. Either use one of the symbol buttons and
click on an atom to change it to this symbol. For single-letter elements, you can
also just hit the key while an atom is highlighted. So to set all the Oxygens in your
molecule, hover over the atoms one after the other and hit "O" each time.
You can also use the periodic
table
to choose an element. Finally with
you can go through some common elements
by clicking on an atom repeatedly. With
and
you can change the charge.
Obviously the mentioned steps are only a suggestion.
You can do them in any order. Many functions are also available in context menus
by right clicking on an atom or bond.