1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: configuring one or more computer processors to perform an operation for searching a plurality of documents which include references to chemical compounds, comprising: receiving the plurality of documents; receiving criteria specifying desired chemical characteristics; generating at least one regular expression based on the received criteria; evaluating, by operation of the one or more computer processors, chemical compounds referenced in the plurality of documents against the regular expression to identify one or more of the plurality of documents that reference a chemical compound satisfying the received criteria.