Template:Short description A notable molecule editor is a computer program for creating and modifying representations of chemical structures.

Molecule editors can manipulate chemical structure representations in either a simulated two-dimensional space or three-dimensional space, via 2D computer graphics or 3D computer graphics, respectively. Two-dimensional output is used as illustrations or to query chemical databases. Three-dimensional output is used to build molecular models, usually as part of molecular modelling software packages.

Database molecular editors such as Leatherface,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> RECAP,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and Molecule Slicer<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> allow large numbers of molecules to be modified automatically according to rules such as 'deprotonate carboxylic acids' or 'break exocyclic bonds' that can be specified by a user.

Molecule editors typically support reading and writing at least one file format or line notation. Examples of each include Molfile and simplified molecular input line entry specification (SMILES), respectively.

Files generated by molecule editors can be displayed by molecular graphics tools.

Standalone programsEdit

2D structure editingEdit

Program Developer(s) License Platforms Info
ACD/ChemSketch ACD/Labs Template:Proprietary Windows A chemically intelligent drawing interface allowing creation of 2D structures for organics, organometallics, polymers, and Markush structures. Freeware version available.
BIOVIA Draw Dassault Systèmes Template:Proprietary Windows Successor of ISIS/Draw.
ChemDraw Revvity Signals Template:Proprietary Windows, macOS Primarily for editing 2D chemical structures and reactions
ChemWindow Wiley Template:Proprietary Windows Freeware for academic research and teaching; part of the KnowItAll software environment
JChemPaint JChemPaint Developers Template:LGPL-lic Cross-platform A 2D structural formula editor written in Java
XDrawChem XDrawChem developers Template:GPL-lic Windows, macOS, Linux A 2D chemical structure drawing tool based on OpenBabel

3D structure editingEdit

Program Developer(s) License Platforms Info Last Release
Amira (software) Visage Imaging
Zuse Institute Berlin
Template:Proprietary Windows, macOS, Linux Includes 3D visualization tools. Trial version available.
Ascalaph Designer Agile Molecule Template:GPL-lic Windows, Linux A freeware 3D molecule editor. Template:Wikidata
Avogadro Avogadro project team Template:GPL-lic Windows, macOS, Linux A 3D molecule editor and visualizer. Template:Wikidata
Deneb AtelGraphics Template:Proprietary Windows, Linux GUI for simulation packages, including 3D editing.
Gabedit Abdulrahman Allouche Template:BSD-lic Windows, macOS, Linux A 3D molecule editor with visualization capabilities. Template:Wikidata
MOE Chemical Computing Group Template:Proprietary Windows, macOS, Linux Includes 3D molecular sketching, editing, and 2D to 3D conversion. Template:Wikidata
PyMOL Schrödinger Template:Proprietary (Open-source version available) Cross-platform Popular molecular visualization tool with basic 3D editing capabilities for structural analysis. Template:Wikidata
SAMSON Inria Template:Proprietary Windows, macOS, Linux A modular platform for computational nanoscience, including 3D molecular editing. Template:Wikidata
Spartan Wavefunction, Inc. Template:Proprietary Windows, macOS, Linux Focused on 3D molecular modeling and simulation. Template:Wikidata
VMD University of Illinois Free for non-commercial use Cross-platform 3D Molecular visualization tool that includes structure editing through the Molefacture plugin. Template:Wikidata
YASARA YASARA Biosciences Template:Proprietary (Free version available) Cross-platform Molecular graphics and modeling software focused on structural biology, with extensive 3D capabilities. Template:Wikidata

Java AppletsEdit

Applet Developer(s) License Info
JChemPaint Template:LGPL-lic Editor and viewer applets
JME Molecule Editor Peter Ertl Template:Proprietary freeware available from Molinspiration; Freeware for noncommercial use

JavaScript embeddable editorsEdit

Program Developer License Desktop Browser IE6-7-8 Desktop Browser other iPad iPhone Android Info
Kekulé Program Kekule.js Lab MIT License Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Unk Template:Unk Template:Unk

See alsoEdit

Notes and referencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit