Math & Science ⇒ tikZ | Drawing Molecules

[ghostanime2001]

I want to draw molecules with tikZ not with chemfig because tikZ has more flexibility of tweaking bond lengths and atomic spacing. I tried to change these parameters with chemfig but there were lots of intricacies that I didn't like (for example really really short bonds). I can create single bonds between atoms, but how do you create double bonds/triple bonds for example between a carbon and oxygen atom or between two nitrogen atoms? Also, how do you orient bonds at different angles?

[localghost]

I want to draw molecules with tikZ not with chemfig because tikZ has more flexibility of tweaking bond lengths and atomic spacing. […]

It is exactly the other way round.

[…] I tried to change these parameters with chemfig but there were lots of intricacies that I didn't like (for example really really short bonds). I can create single bonds between atoms, but how do you create double bonds/triple bonds for example between a carbon and oxygen atom or between two nitrogen atoms? Also, how do you orient bonds at different angles?

And the chemfig manual didn't help? I'm sure that all your question are answered by just reading a bit in the package manual.

Code: Select all

\documentclass[11pt]{standalone}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{chemfig}

\setatomsep{2em}

\begin{document}
  \chemfig{N=[:30]N}
\end{document}

If you expect specific help, a proper, self-contained and minimal example along with an adequate problem description is essential. That is something you should have learned by now.


Thorsten

[cgnieder]

I want to draw molecules with tikZ not with chemfig because tikZ has more flexibility of tweaking bond lengths and atomic spacing.

Of course you can but IMHO you will soon notice that it's also a lot more work.

I tried to change these parameters with chemfig but there were lots of intricacies that I didn't like (for example really really short bonds).

If I had to guess (and apparently I have to) you probably set chemfig's atom sep to a short value but haven't read section 4 Length of a bond of the manual where the impacts are explained.

I can create single bonds between atoms, but how do you create double bonds/triple bonds for example between a carbon and oxygen atom or between two nitrogen atoms

See section 2 Different kinds of bonds.

Also, how do you orient bonds at different angles?

See section 3 Bond angle.

Regards

[ghostanime2001]

Thank for all your help. But I already know what you were talking about. In my post I was wondering weather similar effects (bonds, angles, bond length) can be done with tikz. I already know how to do it with chemfig.

Also, I know that between "slimmer" and "thicker" atoms the bond length varies that is why I am trying to change to tikz so that the bond length remains exactly the same length regardless of how thick or thin the width of atoms are.

[cgnieder]

Well, of course you can draw molecules with TikZ. The proof: chemfig uses TikZ. There is no chemistry library for TikZ if that's what you mean. You'd have to draw everything “by hand”, i.e., program it yourself.

Regards

[ghostanime2001]

That's exactly what I'm after but I how do you draw double bonds and triple bonds with TIKZ ?

[cgnieder]

I'm unsure what you want really... Do you already have code and are struggling with adding a second line (or third, resp.)? If so, please show what you already have so far.

Regards

[localghost]

That's exactly what I'm after but I how do you draw double bonds and triple bonds with TIKZ ?

• Why are you so stubborn in this matter?
• Why do you insist on this more difficult and more complicated method?
• Are there any really good reasons against the package?

m(

[ghostanime2001]

I guess this could work as a MWE example. How do I set the bond length to be the same length for example 1cm?

Code: Select all

\documentclass[fleqn]{article}
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage{chemmacros}
\usepackage{chemfig}
\usepackage{mhchem}
\usepackage{tikz}
\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}
\setlength{\parskip}{0pt}
\setlength{\mathindent}{0pt}
\newcommand{\s}{\par\medskip}
\newcommand{\sm}{\par\smallskip}
\newcommand{\bs}{\par\bigskip}
\pagestyle{empty}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows,decorations.pathmorphing,backgrounds,positioning,fit,petri,matrix}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node (a) {C};
\node (b) [above=of a] {H};
\node (c) [below=of a] {H};
\node (d) [left=of a] {H};
\node (e) [right=of a] {C};
\node (f) [below right=of e] {O};
\node (g) [right=of f] {H};
\node at (a.north east) {+};
\draw (a.north) to (b.south);
\draw (a.south) to (c.north);
\draw (d.east) to (a.west);
\draw (e.west) to (a.east);
\draw (f.west) to (e.east);
\draw (f.east) to (g.west);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}

[localghost]

[…] How do I set the bond length to be the same length for example 1cm? […]

Isn't this exactly what chemfig does?

Code: Select all

\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{chemfig}

\setatomsep{1cm}

\begin{document}
  \chemfig{\chemabove{C}{\hspace{1pc}\scriptstyle +}(-[2]H)(-[4]H)(-[6]H)-C-[:-60]O-H}
\end{document}