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Chem4Word
A Microsoft Word add-in for drawing and editing chemical structures and reactions in documents.
Open source. 30 of 65 checklist features confirmed.
Official demo
Main canvas
Needs Windows
Needs Windows
Default drawings
Needs Windows
Caffeine
Needs Windows
Paclitaxel
Needs Windows
Cholesterol in 3D
Facts
- GitHub stars
- 16 stars on 6 Nov 2026
- First commit
- 19 Aug 2022
- Repository activity
- 177 commits, 2 contributors, last push 5 Nov 2026
- Latest version
- V3.3.17
- Runs on
- Windows
- License
- Apache 2.0; bundled ChemDoodle Web files use GPLv3.
- Price
- Free
- Relies on
- No third-party engine found. Current ACME canvas is original; ChemDoodle license notice references an absent legacy ZIP.
- Draws with
- WPF DrawingVisual/DrawingContext in the editor; OOXML DrawingML in Word documents
- Chemistry from
- In-house Chem4Word.Model2; online services for names and identifiers
- Interface
- WPF/XAML and Windows Forms; Microsoft Word VSTO add-in
- Main language
- C#
- Other languages
- C: Native SQLite structure library storage
- Renderer
- Original: Chem4Word ACME (WPF DrawingVisual) and OoXmlV4 (DrawingML)
- Third-party licenses
- MIT/Apache-2.0/BSD-3-Clause/MS-PL dependencies, public-domain SQLite and CC0 oils data; proprietary Microsoft VSTO terms; Arial glyph-data license unspecified.
- Requires Windows desktop Word; Mac and Word Online are unsupported.
- Core editing is local; searches and name/identifier resolution require internet.
- CDXML and MOL/SDF V3000 import are unsupported.
Features
- Tested by running it
- Seen in the app
- The manual says yes
- Partly, with the reason shown
- Not supported
- Not established, which is not the same as no
Select a mark for its proof. A filled mark opens our screenshot, or the manual if the check left nothing to picture. A ring opens the manual.
Drawing structures
- Yes, according to the manual: Clicking cycles single, double, and triple bond orders. Opens the cited page.Single, double and triple bondsClicking cycles single, double, and triple bond orders.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Wedge, hatch, and indeterminate wavy bonds. Opens the cited page.Wedge, hash and wavy bondsWedge, hatch, and indeterminate wavy bonds.github.com
- Partly: Hydrogen and fractional bonds; no dative option in the bond palette. Opens the cited page.Dative, hydrogen and quadruple bondsHydrogen and fractional bonds; no dative option in the bond palette.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Clockwise, anticlockwise, and centered double-bond placement. Opens the cited page.Choose double-bond sideClockwise, anticlockwise, and centered double-bond placement.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Benzene, common saturated rings, and variable ring sizes. Opens the cited page.Ring toolsBenzene, common saturated rings, and variable ring sizes.github.com
- Not establishedChair and Haworth rings
- Yes, according to the manual: Dragging places successive bonds at alternating 60-degree angles. Opens the cited page.Chain toolDragging places successive bonds at alternating 60-degree angles.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Includes about 2,000 reusable natural-product structures. Opens the cited page.Template libraryIncludes about 2,000 reusable natural-product structures.chem4word.co.uk
- Yes, according to the manual: Save drawn structures to the reusable chemistry library. Opens the cited page.Save your own templatesSave drawn structures to the reusable chemistry library.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Functional groups include chemical compositions and expandable OMe structures. Opens the cited page.Group abbreviationsFunctional groups include chemical compositions and expandable OMe structures.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Periodic-table element selection, formal charges, and isotope selection. Opens the cited page.Charges, isotopes and atom labelsPeriodic-table element selection, formal charges, and isotope selection.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Electrons and lone pairs can be added to atoms. Opens the cited page.Radicals and lone pairsElectrons and lone pairs can be added to atoms.github.com
- Not establishedKeyboard drawing
- Yes, according to the manual: Lasso selection; molecules support rotation, flips, and resizing. Opens the cited page.Lasso select and transformsLasso selection; molecules support rotation, flips, and resizing.github.com
- Not establishedTilt drawings in perspective
Reactions and mechanisms
- Yes, according to the manual: Forward, equilibrium, resonance, and retrosynthetic arrow types. Opens the cited page.Reaction arrowsForward, equilibrium, resonance, and retrosynthetic arrow types.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Editable double-headed electron pushers and radical fishhook arrows. Opens the cited page.Curved mechanism arrowsEditable double-headed electron pushers and radical fishhook arrows.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: CML stores reactant and product references to molecule structures. Opens the cited page.Machine-readable reactionsCML stores reactant and product references to molecule structures.github.com
- Not establishedAtom mapping
- Not establishedOrbitals and symbols
Figures and layout
- Partly: Subscripts and superscripts; annotation editor specifies Arial. Opens the cited page.Rich text captionsSubscripts and superscripts; annotation editor specifies Arial.github.com
- Not establishedShapes, brackets and curves
- Yes, according to the manual: Align selected molecules, annotations, and reaction arrows. Opens the cited page.Align and distributeAlign selected molecules, annotations, and reaction arrows.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Group and ungroup molecular fragments. Opens the cited page.Group and ungroupGroup and ungroup molecular fragments.github.com
- Not established2D structure cleanup
- Not establishedJournal drawing styles
- Not establishedReusable custom styles
- Not establishedColor control
- Partly: Orange selection halos only; absent from Word output. Opens the cited page.Color highlightingOrange selection halos only; absent from Word output.github.com
- Not establishedPage layout and multipage
- Not establishedImported pictures
- Not establishedTLC plates and tables
Chemistry intelligence
- Yes, according to the manual: Overbonded atoms receive warning circles. Opens the cited page.Structure checkingOverbonded atoms receive warning circles.github.com
- Not establishedR/S and E/Z labels
- Yes, according to the manual: Computes molecular formula and molecular weight locally. Opens the cited page.Formula and massComputes molecular formula and molecular weight locally.github.com
- Not establishedProperty estimates
- Yes, according to the manual: Chemical names are submitted to the online OPSIN service. Opens the cited page.Name to structureChemical names are submitted to the online OPSIN service.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Online resolver returns an IUPAC name for drawn structures. Opens the cited page.Structure to nameOnline resolver returns an IUPAC name for drawn structures.github.com
- Not establishedNMR prediction
- Yes, according to the manual: R-group residue labels include R1, R2, and numbered variants. Opens the cited page.R-groups and query structuresR-group residue labels include R1, R2, and numbered variants.github.com
- Not establishedPolymers and repeat units
- Not establishedPeptides and nucleic acids
- Not establishedImage to structure
- Yes, according to the manual: PubChem search imports retrieved structures as CML. Opens the cited page.Online structure lookupPubChem search imports retrieved structures as CML.github.com
- Not established3D model view
- Not establishedCrystal structures
Files and exchange
- No: Explicitly rejects CDXML import. Opens the cited page.CDXML import and exportExplicitly rejects CDXML import.github.com
- Not establishedCDX import and export
- Yes, according to the manual: Reads and writes MOL/SDF V2000; V3000 import is unsupported. Opens the cited page.MOL and SDFReads and writes MOL/SDF V2000; V3000 import is unsupported.github.com
- Partly: SMILES output via online service; native import accepts CML/MOL/SDF/SketchEl. Opens the cited page.SMILESSMILES output via online service; native import accepts CML/MOL/SDF/SketchEl.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Online service generates InChI and InChIKey textual properties. Opens the cited page.InChIOnline service generates InChI and InChIKey textual properties.github.com
- Not establishedRXN files
- Not establishedSVG export
- Not establishedPDF export
- Not establishedHigh-resolution PNG
- Not establishedPaste to and from ChemDraw
- Yes, according to the manual: Word structures retain CML and reopen in the editor. Opens the cited page.Editable in Word or PowerPointWord structures retain CML and reopen in the editor.github.com
- No: Word add-in uses CML content controls, not OLE objects. Opens the cited page.Windows Office OLEWord add-in uses CML content controls, not OLE objects.github.com
APIs and automation
- Not establishedPython API
- Not establishedJavaScript or TypeScript API
- Not establishedCommand-line tool
- Not establishedAI agent control
- Not establishedBuilt-in AI assistant
Embedding and extension
- Yes, according to the manual: C# plugin contracts and a commented example searcher implementation. Opens the cited page.PluginsC# plugin contracts and a commented example searcher implementation.github.com
- Not established: Word add-in launches modal editor; reusable editor SDK unconfirmed.Embed in your own appWord add-in launches modal editor; reusable editor SDK unconfirmed.github.com