Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry

Organic synthesis

We welcome important research in all areas of organic synthesis, including studies on small organic molecules and biomolecules. Total or multistep syntheses should report new or improved strategies or methods, or a more efficient route to the target compound.

Methodology studies should show a significant improvement on known methods. Research that extends the known methodology to a different class of compounds is generally not suitable unless that class is significantly different in scope to previously reported methodology. Where methods are directed towards a narrow range of structures, the importance of these targets must be clearly justified.

Physical and theoretical organic chemistry

We welcome studies that introduce new models of reactivity, selectivity, bonding or structure as well as new computational methodologies with clear and demonstrable relevance to experimental chemistry. Authors should justify this relevance, ideally by providing experimentally testable predictions arising from their theoretical results. Computational studies should employ methodology that reflects current best practices in the field. Manuscripts that merely reproduce known experimental trends or apply routine methods to limited systems without advancing conceptual understanding are not suitable for OBC. 

Chemical biology

We welcome articles that report new or improved methodologies in the chemical aspects of chemical biology, including design, development and use of chemical tools, chemical studies of biomolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids or biological processes such as protein-protein interactions and epigenetics, and chemical methods such as imaging and labelling techniques.

Catalysis

We welcome studies on catalysis, including metal catalysis, photocatalysis, organocatalysis, electrocatalysis and biocatalysis, which present a significant organic chemistry advance. The application of a new catalyst to a known reaction must present a significant methodological advance. However, studies showcasing routine modification in the catalyst structure for a known reaction or the preparation of a compound library by a known catalytic reaction followed by routine photophysical or biological studies are typically not suitable.

Studies on organometallic catalysis are welcomed where the focus of the study is the organic transformation or synthetic methodology. Studies on organometallic catalysts where the primary advance is in the chemistry of the metal or metalloid would be more suitable for Dalton Transactions

Theoretical studies that provide significant new mechanistic insights into synthetic or biological catalysts are welcome. Routine biochemistry studies of catalytic mechanisms, for instance, routine studies using tools such as site-directed mutagenesis, are not typically suitable.

Supramolecular, macromolecular and organic materials

We welcome studies that report important new work in the molecular design of supramolecular or macromolecular compounds or organic materials either with a strong component in organic synthesis or with novel organic structural features. You may wish to consider our materials journals for articles outside this scope.

Sensors

We publish articles describing sensors for ions and/or molecules provided that they

• address targets and situations of practical relevance and
• represent significant and demonstrable improvements on previous methodology

We require sensor studies to have a strong component in organic synthesis or with novel structural features to be suitable for publication in OBC. Sensors for species in artificial surroundings (for example, hydrophilic ions in organic solvents) will not typically be acceptable for publication.

Medicinal chemistry

We welcome studies that report significant synthetic or bioorganic research that is directed towards medicinal chemistry applications. Studies that show routine syntheses accompanied by biological testing are generally not suitable for OBC. Our companion journal, RSC Medicinal Chemistry, is more suitable for articles that report significant research in core medicinal chemistry disciplines.

Natural products

We welcome articles that report new and interesting syntheses of natural products (see author guidelines) or chemical studies of biosynthetic pathways. Isolation or identification studies are welcome when the compound being reported

• has a novel structural class with unreported carbon skeleton, unusual functional groups or unusual modifications and/or
• displays a potent or unexpected biological activity or an unexpected mechanism of action.

Routine isolation studies are not suitable for OBC.