Graphical abstract

Compound identification and support for computer-assisted structure elucidation via a free community build web database for organic structures and their NMR data is described. The new database NMRShiftDB is available at http://www.nmrshiftdb.org.

Compound identification and support for computer-assisted structure elucidation via a free community-built web database for organic structures and their NMR data is described. The new database NMRShiftDB is available on http://www.nmrshiftdb.org. As the first NMR database, NMRShiftDB allows not only open access to the database but also open and peer reviewed submission of datasets, enabling the natural products community to build its first free repository of assigned ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. In addition to the open access, the underlying database software is built solely from free software and is available under an open source license. This allows collaborating laboratories to fully replicate the database and to create a highly available network of NMRShiftDB mirrors. The database contains about 10,000 structures and assigned spectra, with new datasets constantly added. Its functionality includes (sub-) spectra and (sub-) structure searches as well as shift prediction of ¹³C spectra based on the current database material.