Chemical drawing content with Marvin JS

Some content in the Item Library provides a set of chemical drawing tools similar to the Marvin JS 2D molecular drawing tools shown below.

"Marvin canvas with toolbars on perimeter: Tools (left), General (top), Atoms (right), and Templates (bottom)"

The Marvin JS chemical drawing tools (2D, 3D, and Mechanism) are based on Marvin JS, an advanced chemical editor from ChemAxon, Ltd that is used in pharmaceutical and other industries.

To find Marvin JS-based 2D or 3D molecular drawing (skeletal) and mechanism content in the Item Library, filter your view using the Chemistry Drawing answer type. How to search for content in the Item Library

  • Chemistry Drawing filter results may also include questions for drawing Lewis Structures, which are not Marvin-based.
  • If you don’t see the Chemistry Drawing answer type listed, then chemical drawing content is unavailable for the selected chapter or other source.

  •  Videos for drawing with Marvin in Mastering questions are available from the toolbar above the drawing window as students are working. Selecting from the top toolbar opens the Drawing Help box, which includes a link to these videos. Selecting expands the sketcher window to a larger workspace.

  • Introduction to Mastering assignment: Assign this to your students before they are asked to complete chemical drawing assignments. If your textbook provides Marvin content, it will contain the Introduction to Molecule Drawing Answers and/or Introduction to Organic Mechanisms tutorial items. You might also consider assigning one or both of these items later as a refresher.
  • Student Help for Marvin content: Open Mastering Student Help. and search on "Marvin" to find applicable topics with links to Marvin videos and basic drawing instructions. For more detailed instructions, you and your students can also search the Marvin JS User's Guide published by ChemAxon. (Note that Pearson Marvin content uses a customized subset of Marvin JS features.)

Mastering may accept as correct the positioning of an arrowhead either on the atom or in the space between atoms. To ensure proper interpretation of the answer, it's best for students to place the arrowhead between the two atoms so that a dotted line connects the two atoms forming a new bond.

The 3D rotation viewer opens a window in which you and your students can rotate molecular structures in three dimensions and zoom to enhance your view of the structure. Watching molecules rotate can help students learn about or better understand organic structures. Students are not graded on their use of the viewer.

  1. Look for the label “3D rotation viewer” (or "Interactive MarvinView") above the molecular structure to determine if the image can be rotated in the viewer.
  2. Click anywhere on the image to open the viewer window.
  3. Choose "" 3D rotate.
    For automatic 3D rotation, click on the canvas. For manual rotation, drag your cursor across the canvas.
    All structures on the canvas rotate.
  4. [Optional] Resize your view of the rotating structure by choosing "" Zoom in, "" Zoom out, or "" Zoom all. (You can apply zoom settings while structures are moving.)
  5. Click anywhere on the canvas to stop automatic 3D rotation. Manual 3D rotation stops when you stop moving your cursor.
  6. Close the viewer window when you are finished.

The 3D rotation viewer can be available in different locations or views of a Marvin JS item.

  • Instructor access: You can open the 3D rotation viewer from a molecular image. This option is available in Standard View, Solution View, Print View, and when reviewing student work.
  • Student access: Students can open the 3D display viewer from a molecular image in their assignments, Print View, and when reviewing their answers (My Answers).

After you draw the molecule using Marvin JS, insert the appropriate Marvin JS content tag anywhere in the item, such as instructions for a part question or in answer feedback.