CHEMSKETCH

GUIDE

Presentation by: Alifa Camille N. Santos, M.Sc.

STEP 1
• Download ChemSketch Freeware as instructed in
• your laboratory manual

• If you are unable to register for an account, you can also download
the software using the link below:

• https://softfamous.com/chemsketch/download/

• Follow on-screen instructions to install.

STEP 2: Launch/open the program.
 STEP 3:
Click TOOLS and select STRUCTURE PROPERTIES
STEP 4: Click ALL and SET DEFAULT
 Draw the structures listed in your lab manual (i.e. CH3CHO or
STEP 5: acetaldehyde)
• Click the STRUCTURES TAB
• CLICK “C” for Carbon atom
• Click once on the sheet to insert “CH4”
 Draw the structures listed in your lab manual (i.e. CH3CHO or
STEP 5: acetaldehyde)
• Click the carbon atom on CH4 and drag to the right to insert another carbon
 STEP 5: Draw the structures listed in your lab manual (i.e. CH CHO acetaldehyde)
3

• Click “H” to insert hydrogen atoms in bonds

• Click the 2nd carbon atom and drag down the mouse pointer to insert H
• Repeat clicking and dragging until a total of 3 H atoms in bonds are inserted
on the 3 sides of the carbon atom

Note: If the carbon atom

disappears after you
click and drag to insert
hydrogens, just close the
program and repeat
steps 3 and 4.
 STEP 5: Draw the structures listed in your lab manual (i.e. CH3CHO acetaldehyde)

• Repeat the previous instruction to insert 1 hydrogen atom on the 1st carbon
• Click “O” on the left pane to insert an oxygen atom. Click carbon 1 and drag
the pointer up, repeat clicking and dragging to insert “=O”
 STEP 6: Convert the Line bond Structure to Skeletal Structure
• Click the icon under the structure tab and select the whole structure

The structure will look

like this after selection
 STEP 6: Convert the Line bond Structure to Skeletal Structure
• Click the clean structure icon

The compound will now

be presented in terms of
its skeletal structure
 STEP 7: Determine what are being asked in the lab manual
• Determine the molecular formula, molecular weight, and % composition by
atom.
• Do this by clicking the calculate selected properties icon.
End