Best Inorganic Chemistry Journals (2026): Ranked by Impact and Accessibility
Ranked list of the top 13 inorganic chemistry journals by impact factor, acceptance rate, APC, and review speed, with guidance on placing coordination, organometallic, bioinorganic, and catalysis manuscripts.
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Inorganic chemistry doesn't get the same publishing hype as organic synthesis or materials science, but the field has a well-defined journal hierarchy that's served the community for decades. The ACS journal Inorganic Chemistry has been the default destination since the 1960s, and it's still the first journal most inorganic chemists think of. But the landscape has expanded, and depending on your sub-field, there are better fits.
The challenge is that "inorganic chemistry" covers an absurdly wide range of science. Coordination chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, solid-state materials, catalysis, organometallics, and main-group chemistry all fall under the umbrella. Where you publish depends enormously on which community you're writing for.
Quick Answer: Top 5 Picks
- JACS (IF 14.4) for inorganic work with broad chemical significance
- Angewandte Chemie (IF 16.1) for novel results in a communication format
- Inorganic Chemistry (IF 4.0) for thorough, well-characterized inorganic studies
- Chemical Science (IF 7.6) for strong work, free open access
- Dalton Transactions (IF 3.4) for solid coordination and organometallic chemistry
Full Comparison Table
Journal | IF (2024) | Acceptance Rate | APC | Review Time | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JACS | 14.4 | ~12% | $5,250 (hybrid) | 4-10 weeks | Broad chemistry |
Angewandte Chemie | 16.1 | ~15% | $5,500 (hybrid) | 3-8 weeks | Communications, all chemistry |
Nature Chemistry | 20.2 | ~8% | $11,690 (OA) | 3-6 months | High-impact chemistry |
Chemical Science | 7.6 | ~20% | Free | 4-8 weeks | Broad chemistry, gold OA |
ACS Catalysis | 13.1 | ~20% | $5,250 | 4-8 weeks | Catalysis |
Inorganic Chemistry | 4.0 | ~30% | $5,250 (hybrid) | 4-8 weeks | Core inorganic chemistry |
Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers | 5.2 | ~28% | $2,750 | 4-8 weeks | Inorganic, RSC |
Dalton Transactions | 3.4 | ~35% | $2,750 (hybrid) | 4-8 weeks | Coordination, organometallic |
Chemistry: A European Journal | 3.9 | ~30% | $5,500 (hybrid) | 4-8 weeks | Broad chemistry |
Organometallics | 3.0 | ~35% | $5,250 (hybrid) | 4-8 weeks | Organometallic chemistry |
JACS Au | 8.7 | ~20% | $5,250 | 4-8 weeks | Gold OA, broad chemistry |
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry | 2.2 | ~40% | $5,500 (hybrid) | 6-10 weeks | Inorganic, Wiley |
New Journal of Chemistry | 2.8 | ~40% | $2,750 (hybrid) | 4-8 weeks | Broad chemistry, RSC |
Tier Breakdown
Elite Tier (IF 10+)
Nature Chemistry (IF 19.2) publishes inorganic chemistry when it rewrites fundamental understanding. A new bonding motif, a catalytic cycle that changes the field, or a biomimetic system that solves a long-standing problem. The editorial bar is extremely high and the timeline is long. Most inorganic groups target it once every few years at most.
Angewandte Chemie (IF 16.1) is the most common elite target for inorganic chemists. The communication format works well for new complexes with unexpected properties, novel catalytic systems, or synthetic breakthroughs. The German chemical community has deep inorganic roots, and Angew reflects that tradition.
JACS (IF 14.4) publishes a substantial amount of inorganic chemistry, from coordination compounds to bioinorganic mechanisms to solid-state synthesis. The full article format is particularly valuable for inorganic work that needs space to develop a complete story with spectroscopy, crystallography, and computational support.
ACS Catalysis (IF 11.3) takes inorganic chemistry when there's a catalytic application. Homogeneous catalysis with transition metals, heterogeneous catalysis with metal oxides, and electrocatalysis all fit. If your inorganic compound does something useful as a catalyst, this journal gives you a high-impact, focused audience.
Strong Tier (IF 4-8)
Chemical Science (IF 7.6) deserves special attention because it's completely free to publish in. No author charges, period. For a field where grants aren't always large, this matters. The quality is high, the journal is respected, and the open access model means everyone can read your work.
JACS Au (IF 8.5) is growing fast as the gold OA companion to JACS. It's a strong cascade from JACS and carries the ACS editorial brand. If your paper is excellent but not quite JACS-level, JACS Au is an increasingly attractive option.
Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers (IF 5.2) from the RSC has become a legitimate competitor to Inorganic Chemistry from ACS. It's newer but has built a strong reputation quickly. The editorial team is responsive and the scope is broad across all of inorganic chemistry.
Inorganic Chemistry (IF 4.0) remains the journal of record for the field. It's where the community publishes detailed structural studies, magnetic property investigations, and thorough coordination chemistry. The acceptance rate of about 30% is reasonable, and the reviewer pool is deeply knowledgeable. If you're an inorganic chemist, you know this journal. Your committee knows it. Your tenure reviewers know it.
Accessible Tier (IF 2-4)
Dalton Transactions (IF 3.4) from the RSC is the British counterpart to Inorganic Chemistry. It's particularly strong in coordination chemistry, organometallics, and bioinorganic chemistry. The journal has a loyal European readership and a straightforward review process. APCs for hybrid OA are lower than ACS equivalents.
Chemistry: A European Journal (IF 3.9) publishes across chemistry but has a reasonable inorganic presence. It's an option when your paper doesn't fit the scope of a dedicated inorganic journal.
Organometallics (IF 3.0) from ACS is the dedicated journal for organometallic chemistry. If your work involves metal-carbon bonds, this is the purpose-built home. The community reads it and respects it, regardless of the IF being lower than broader journals.
New Journal of Chemistry (IF 2.8) from the RSC is a general chemistry journal that accepts solid inorganic work. It's a reasonable fallback when more selective journals aren't the right fit.
Open Access Accessible Tier
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry (IF 2.2) from Wiley has seen its IF decline over the years, but it still publishes competent inorganic chemistry. The scope is broad and acceptance rates are relatively high.
RSC Advances (IF 3.9) is a broad, gold OA journal that accepts solid inorganic chemistry. It's a good option when you need open access at a reasonable cost.
Decision Framework
If your inorganic compound has a truly unusual electronic structure or bonding, JACS or Angew is the right target. The broader chemistry community needs to see it.
If you've developed a new homogeneous catalyst, ACS Catalysis is the natural home, especially if you can demonstrate scope and mechanism.
If you have a thorough study of a new complex or family of complexes with full characterization, Inorganic Chemistry is exactly what you need. It's built for that kind of paper.
If your work is bioinorganic, consider JACS for high-impact results or Dalton Transactions for solid studies. There's no dedicated high-IF bioinorganic journal, so these communities span multiple publications.
If you want free open access for a strong paper, Chemical Science should be your first choice. The IF is excellent and it costs nothing.
If your paper is about organometallic chemistry specifically, Organometallics gives you the exact audience you need. The readers are your peers.
Common Mistakes in Journal Selection
Submitting a crystal structure paper to JACS. JACS wants significance, not just structural novelty. A beautiful crystal structure with no broader story won't make it past the editor. Save the structure reports for Inorganic Chemistry or Dalton Transactions.
Ignoring Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers. Many authors default to ACS journals without considering the RSC alternatives. Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers has a higher IF than Inorganic Chemistry and lower APCs. It deserves a serious look.
Not using the JACS-to-JACS Au cascade. If JACS rejects your paper with encouraging reviews, transferring to JACS Au preserves the reviews and accelerates the process. It's a better outcome than starting fresh at a lower-tier journal.
Trying to publish a purely synthetic paper in ACS Catalysis. The journal wants catalytic function, not just new complexes. If your metal complex isn't being used as a catalyst, it doesn't belong there, no matter how interesting the structure is.
How to use this list
Impact factor is one signal, not the whole picture. The journals ranked above vary in scope, editorial culture, and what they consider a strong submission. The right journal for your paper depends on how your study sits within the field's research agenda, not just on which title has the highest number next to it.
A paper with solid methodology and honest conclusions that doesn't quite reach the novelty bar of the top-ranked journals will fare better at the second or third tier than a round of rejections from journals above its weight class. Start with an honest assessment of where your work sits, not where you wish it sat.
Before targeting any journal on this list, verify the current author guidelines directly. Word limits, submission system requirements, and scope boundaries change. The rankings above reflect 2024 JCR data and current editorial positioning, but journals evolve.
Before You Submit
Inorganic chemistry papers live and die on characterization quality. Reviewers will scrutinize your crystallographic data, your magnetic measurements, and your spectroscopic assignments. Small errors in these areas lead to lengthy revisions or outright rejection. A pre-submission review at Manusights can catch characterization gaps, inconsistent data, and structural claims that need better support before reviewers ever see them.
Sources
Reference library
Use the core publishing datasets alongside this guide
This article answers one part of the publishing decision. The reference library covers the recurring questions that usually come next: how selective journals are, how long review takes, and what the submission requirements look like across journals.
Dataset / reference guide
Peer Review Timelines by Journal
Reference-grade journal timeline data that authors, labs, and writing centers can cite when discussing realistic review timing.
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Biomedical Journal Acceptance Rates
A field-organized acceptance-rate guide that works as a neutral benchmark when authors are deciding how selective to target.
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Journal Submission Specs
A high-utility submission table covering word limits, figure caps, reference limits, and formatting expectations.
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