*The Journal of the American Chemical Society*

*The Journal of the American Chemical Society*. Often referred to simply as *JACS*, it is a premier peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Chemical Society. First established in 1879, it has become one of the most cited and authoritative publications in the field of chemistry, covering fundamental research across all major subdisciplines. The journal is renowned for publishing high-impact work that often represents significant advances in organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, materials science, and biochemistry.

History and background

The journal was founded in 1879 by a group of prominent chemists, including William H. Nichols, who served as its first editor. Its establishment coincided with the early growth of the American Chemical Society itself, which was founded just four years prior in 1876. Early volumes featured contributions from foundational figures in American chemistry, such as Ira Remsen and Charles F. Chandler, documenting the development of the field during the Industrial Revolution. Throughout the 20th century, it chronicled transformative discoveries, from the elucidation of chemical bonding theories to the rise of polymer science, maintaining its position as a central record of chemical progress alongside other historic publications like *Angewandte Chemie* and the *Journal of the Chemical Society*.

Scope and publication details

The journal publishes original research articles, communications, perspectives, and additions and corrections across the entire breadth of chemical inquiry. Its scope explicitly includes, but is not limited to, analytical chemistry, chemical biology, supramolecular chemistry, catalysis, nanoscience, and theoretical chemistry. Published weekly by the American Chemical Society, it operates under a hybrid open access model, allowing authors to choose between traditional subscription-based or paid Creative Commons licensed publication. All submissions are rigorously peer-reviewed to uphold standards comparable to other top-tier journals such as *Nature* and *Science*.

Abstracting, indexing, and impact

It is comprehensively abstracted and indexed in major scientific databases including Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Science Citation Index. According to the Journal Citation Reports, published by Clarivate, it consistently maintains one of the highest impact factors in the field of chemistry. Its high Eigenfactor score and substantial h-index reflect its widespread influence and the frequency with which its articles are cited in subsequent research published in venues like *ACS Nano*, *Chemical Reviews*, and *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*.

Editorial structure and processes

The journal is overseen by an Editor-in-Chief, a position held since 2021 by Erick M. Carreira of the ETH Zurich. The editorial board comprises a diverse team of Associate Editors, including leading researchers from institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Max Planck Society. The peer-review process is managed by these editors, who solicit evaluations from independent experts in fields ranging from organometallic chemistry to spectroscopy to ensure scholarly rigor. This editorial structure is supported by the publishing division of the American Chemical Society.

Notable articles and contributions

Throughout its history, the journal has published landmark studies that have shaped modern chemistry. Seminal early work includes Gilbert N. Lewis's 1916 paper on the covalent bond and the Lewis structure. It published Harold C. Urey's discovery of deuterium, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. More recent highly cited contributions include groundbreaking research on metal-organic frameworks by Omar M. Yaghi, advances in asymmetric synthesis by Robert H. Grubbs and David W. C. MacMillan, and pivotal studies in green chemistry and photocatalysis. These articles have frequently been recognized by awards such as the ACS Award in Pure Chemistry and have informed research at laboratories worldwide, including Bell Labs and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Category:American Chemical Society academic journals Category:Chemistry journals Category:Publications established in 1879 Category:Weekly journals