Rowan MCP Server

This project wraps an MCP (Model Context Protocol) around Rowan's tools, making it easy for users to submit complex quantum chemistry calculations in natural everyday language.

Quick Install - Desktop Extension

For Claude Desktop users - this is the easiest way:

1. Download the extension: rowan-dxt.dxt
2. Drag and drop the file into Claude Desktop > Settings > Extensions
3. Enter your API key from labs.rowansci.com
4. Enable the MCP tool in the extension settings
5. Start chatting Try: "Using the Rowan MCP tool, calculate the pKa of aspirin"

That's it - no command line setup needed!

Package Installation

Option 1: Auto-Install (No manual installation needed!)

Just add this to your MCP configuration and it will automatically install and run:

Using uvx (simplest):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rowan": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "rowan-mcp", "rowan-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ROWAN_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using uv run (alternative):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rowan": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": ["run", "--with", "rowan-mcp", "-m", "rowan_mcp"],
      "env": {
        "ROWAN_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Option 2: Manual Installation

If you prefer to install the package first:

Using uv:

uv add rowan-mcp

Using pip:

pip install rowan-mcp

Then use this configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "rowan": {
      "command": "rowan-mcp",
      "env": {
        "ROWAN_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Get API Key

Visit labs.rowansci.com → Create account → Generate API key

Start Using

Ask your AI: "Calculate the pKa of aspirin" or "Optimize the geometry of caffeine"

What You Can Do

Ask the LLM to:

• Calculate drug properties: "Predict drug-likeness of aspirin"
• Optimize molecular structures: "Optimize the geometry of aspirin"
• Predict chemical behavior: "What's the pKa of acetic acid?"
• Run calculations: "Calculate the HOMO and LUMO of benzene"

System Requirements

• Python 3.10+ (Python 3.11+ recommended)
• Package manager: uv (recommended) or pip
• Rowan API key (free at labs.rowansci.com)
• MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, etc.)

Development commands (if you cloned the repo):

# Run from source
uv run python -m rowan_mcp --http

Available Tools

Chemistry Calculations

• rowan_basic_calculation - Energy, optimization, frequencies
• rowan_multistage_opt - geometry optimization
• rowan_electronic_properties - HOMO/LUMO, orbitals
• rowan_molecular_dynamics - MD simulations

Molecular Properties

• rowan_pka - Acid/base strength
• rowan_conformers - Conformational search
• rowan_tautomers - Tautomer enumeration
• rowan_descriptors - ML-ready molecular features
• rowan_solubility - Aqueous solubility
• rowan_redox_potential - Electrochemical potentials

Drug Discovery

• rowan_admet - ADME-Tox properties

Reactivity Analysis

• rowan_fukui - Reactivity sites
• rowan_spin_states - Spin multiplicities

Project Management

• rowan_folder_create/list/update/delete - Organize calculations
• rowan_workflow_create/list/status/stop - Manage workflows

Requirements

• Python 3.10+
• Rowan API key
• MCP-compatible AI assistant (Claude Desktop, etc.)

Getting Help

• Documentation: docs.rowansci.com
• or ping me!

Todo

• Remove unnecessary AI spaghetti formatting 🙃
• Some complex conformer searches hang on "running"
• Edit MCP one-liner context
• Transition state finding and IRC
• rowan_scan - Potential energy surfaces
• rowan_docking - Protein-ligand docking
• add in h-bond, BDE and macroscopic pka, logD, BBB
• Folder listing API bug (returns 500 error) - Rowan side?
• Multistage optimization sometimes shows unexpected imaginary frequencies
• Some calculations show as finished in logs but not in Rowan UI

Citation

If you use this MCP tool in your research, please cite the underlying Rowan platform:

Rowan Scientific. https://www.rowansci.com (accessed 2025-07-01).

For complete citation information including specific computational engines, methods, and workflows used in your calculations, please refer to Rowan's citation guidelines.

Publishing (Maintainer Notes)

To publish a new version to PyPI:

# Update version in pyproject.toml and rowan_mcp/__init__.py
# Build the package
uv build

# Publish to PyPI (requires API token)
uv publish

# Or publish to TestPyPI first
uv publish --index-url https://test.pypi.org/simple/