diff --git a/compoundviewer/CMakeLists.txt b/compoundviewer/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/compoundviewer/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/compoundviewer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 set_target_properties(compoundviewer PROPERTIES
     VERSION ${KALZIUMLIB_VERSION}
     SOVERSION ${KALZIUMLIB_SOVERSION}
+    CXX_STANDARD 14
+    CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON
 )
 
 install(TARGETS compoundviewer ${INSTALL_TARGETS_DEFAULT_ARGS})
diff --git a/compoundviewer/iowrapper.h b/compoundviewer/iowrapper.h
--- a/compoundviewer/iowrapper.h
+++ b/compoundviewer/iowrapper.h
@@ -16,10 +16,13 @@
 #ifndef IOWRAPPER_H
 #define IOWRAPPER_H
 
+#include <avogadro/io/fileformat.h>
 #include <avogadro/qtgui/molecule.h>
 
 #include <libkdeedu_compoundviewer_export.h>
 
+#include <memory>
+
 /**
  * @author Carsten Niehaus
  */
@@ -30,13 +33,19 @@
      * This class reads the molecule in the file @p filename. It returns 0 if
      * the file couldn't be read.
      */
-    static Avogadro::Core::Molecule * readMolecule(const QString &filename);
+    static std::unique_ptr<Avogadro::Core::Molecule> readMolecule(const QString &filename);
 
     static bool writeMolecule(const QString& filename, Avogadro::Core::Molecule *);
 
     static QString getFormula(Avogadro::QtGui::Molecule *molecule);
 
     static QString getPrettyFormula(Avogadro::QtGui::Molecule *molecule);
+
+private:
+    /**
+     * Get file format reader appropriate for the file format
+     */
+    static std::unique_ptr<Avogadro::Io::FileFormat> getFileReader(const QString &format);
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/compoundviewer/iowrapper.cpp b/compoundviewer/iowrapper.cpp
--- a/compoundviewer/iowrapper.cpp
+++ b/compoundviewer/iowrapper.cpp
@@ -20,29 +20,40 @@
 
 #include <avogadro/core/molecule.h>
 #include <avogadro/io/cmlformat.h>
+#include <avogadro/io/pdbformat.h>
+#include <avogadro/io/xyzformat.h>
 
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QFile>
+#include <QFileInfo>
 #include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QRegularExpression>
 
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 
-Avogadro::Core::Molecule * IoWrapper::readMolecule(const QString &filename)
+std::unique_ptr<Avogadro::Core::Molecule> IoWrapper::readMolecule(const QString &filename)
 {
     std::ifstream inFileStream(QFile::encodeName(filename).constData());
     if (!inFileStream) {
         QMessageBox::warning(nullptr, i18n("Problem while opening the file"),
                            i18n("Cannot open the specified file."));
         return nullptr;
     }
 
-    auto mol = new Avogadro::Core::Molecule;
-    Avogadro::Io::CmlFormat cmlFormat;
-    if (!cmlFormat.read(inFileStream, *mol)) {
-        qCritical() << "Could not read file:" << filename;
+    auto mol = std::make_unique<Avogadro::Core::Molecule>();
+    auto format = getFileReader(QFileInfo(filename).suffix());
+
+    if (!format){
+        qCritical() << "Could not initialize file reader for file " << filename;
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    if (!format->read(inFileStream, *mol)) {
+        qCritical() << "Could not read file " << filename << "; Error message: "
+            << QString().fromStdString(format->error());
         return nullptr;
     }
+
     return mol;
 }
 
@@ -72,3 +83,16 @@
     formula.replace(QRegularExpression("(\\d+)"), "<sub>\\1</sub>");
     return formula;
 }
+
+std::unique_ptr<Avogadro::Io::FileFormat> IoWrapper::getFileReader(const QString &format)
+{
+    if (format == QStringLiteral("cml")) {
+        return std::make_unique<Avogadro::Io::CmlFormat>();
+    } else if (format == QStringLiteral("pdb")) {
+        return std::make_unique<Avogadro::Io::PdbFormat>();
+    } else if (format == QStringLiteral("xyz")) {
+        return std::make_unique<Avogadro::Io::XyzFormat>();
+    } else {
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/tools/moleculeview.cpp b/src/tools/moleculeview.cpp
--- a/src/tools/moleculeview.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/moleculeview.cpp
@@ -187,7 +187,14 @@
     // 2. another workaround for broken copy-constructor that does not
     //    initialize the m_undoMolecule private member variable;
     //    this molecule should be created on the heap instead of the stack
-    m_molecule = *IoWrapper::readMolecule(filename);
+    auto molecule_ptr = IoWrapper::readMolecule(filename);
+    if (!molecule_ptr)
+    {
+        KMessageBox::error(this, i18n("Could not load molecule"), i18n("Loading the molecule failed."));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    m_molecule = *molecule_ptr;
 
     if (m_molecule.atomCount() != 0) {
         disconnect(ui.glWidget->molecule(), 0, this, 0);