MolEdu: Empowering Chemistry Education with Open-Source Cheminformatics for Molecular Drawing

Understanding molecular structures is a fundamental aspect of learning chemistry, as it forms the basis for grasping concepts such as functional groups, stereochemistry, and chemical reactivity. Traditional teaching tools often rely on static textbook images or proprietary software that may limit user accessibility and interaction. Many users, particularly beginners, may struggle with drawing complex molecules or interpreting structural representations without guided support. To address this challenge, this research introduces MolEdu, an open-source educational application that enables users to input chemical formulas or SMILES strings and receive immediate visual feedback in both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) formats. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of MolEdu in supporting molecular visualization and conceptual understanding in chemistry education. The application automatically retrieves molecular data, generates the corresponding structural representation, and displays key molecular properties such as IUPAC name, molecular formula, and molecular weight. Through the integration of interactive visualization and automated chemical analysis, users can explore molecular geometry without the need to manually sketch structures. The results indicate that MolEdu enhances user engagement, improves accuracy in interpreting molecular structures, and supports inquiry-based learning. Additionally, MolEdu provides a scalable, accessible, and interactive platform that empowers users to explore and understand chemical structures, promoting a deeper appreciation for molecular science in educational contexts.