Chemical Society Reviews

Chemical Society Reviews
Title	Chemical Society Reviews
Former names	Quarterly Reviews, Chemical Society
Abbreviation	Chem. Soc. Rev.
Discipline	Chemistry
Publisher	Royal Society of Chemistry
Country	United Kingdom
History	1947–present
Frequency	24/year
Openaccess	Hybrid
Impact	60.6

Chemical Society Reviews is a premier peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. It is renowned for publishing high-impact, authoritative review articles that span the entire breadth of the chemical sciences, from foundational principles to cutting-edge interdisciplinary research. The journal is highly selective, with its content commissioned by a team of expert editors and an international Editorial Board, and it is recognized as one of the most influential publications in its field.

History and development

The journal was established in 1947 by the Chemical Society, a precursor to the modern Royal Society of Chemistry, under the title *Quarterly Reviews, Chemical Society*. Its founding was part of a post-war effort to consolidate and disseminate significant advances in chemistry across the British Empire and the wider scientific world. In 1972, the publication was renamed to its current title, reflecting an expansion in scope and ambition. This period coincided with major scientific developments, including the rise of new fields like organometallic chemistry and supramolecular chemistry, which the journal began to feature prominently. The merger of the Chemical Society with the Royal Institute of Chemistry and other bodies to form the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1980 further solidified its institutional backing and international reach.

Scope and content

The journal covers all core areas of chemistry, including analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry, with a strong emphasis on emerging interdisciplinary frontiers. These frontiers include materials science, nanotechnology, chemical biology, catalysis, energy research, and theoretical chemistry. A hallmark of its content is the publication of "tutorial reviews," which are designed to be accessible introductions to important topics for non-specialists and graduate students, alongside more comprehensive critical reviews. Notable thematic issues have been dedicated to the work of influential chemists like Robert H. Grubbs and to grand challenges such as artificial photosynthesis and combating antimicrobial resistance.

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is abstracted and indexed in all major scientific databases, ensuring its global visibility and accessibility to researchers. Key services that include it are Science Citation Index Expanded, Scopus, PubMed, and Chemical Abstracts Service. Its inclusion in the Web of Science and its consistently high Journal Citation Reports impact factor underscore its central role in the chemical literature. The articles are also disseminated through platforms like Google Scholar and the Royal Society of Chemistry's own publishing portal, facilitating broad readership across academia and industry.

Impact and recognition

It is consistently ranked among the top journals in the multidisciplinary chemistry category, with one of the highest impact factors in the field, often cited alongside other leading reviews journals like Angewandte Chemie and Accounts of Chemical Research. The reviews published have shaped research directions, informed grant applications from bodies like the National Science Foundation and the European Research Council, and are frequently cited in patents and policy documents. The journal and its editors have been recognized through various awards, including honors from the American Chemical Society and the Society of Chemical Industry.

Editorial processes

The editorial direction is guided by an Editor-in-Chief, supported by a team of Associate Editors and a distinguished international Editorial Board comprising leading scientists from institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Cambridge, and the Max Planck Society. The review process is rigorous and typically involves peer review by multiple experts in the field. Most content is commissioned, with the editorial team identifying key topics and inviting authoritative contributions from researchers at the forefront of their disciplines, such as Sir Fraser Stoddart or Mildred Dresselhaus.

Related publications

The Royal Society of Chemistry publishes a family of related high-quality review journals, each with a specific focus. These include Chemical Communications for rapid preliminary communications, Chemical Science as its flagship open-access primary research journal, and more specialized reviews titles like Natural Product Reports and Catalysis Science & Technology. Other prominent international journals in the chemical reviews landscape include Chemical Reviews published by the American Chemical Society and Coordination Chemistry Reviews from Elsevier.

Category:Chemistry journals Category:Royal Society of Chemistry academic journals Category:Review journals