Author Guidelines

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Manuscript Submission Requirements Checklist

  • Review Ready Submission: ACS journals have simplified their formatting requirements (incl. references) in favor of a streamlined and standardized review-ready format for an initial manuscript submission. Editorial
  • Scope: new and original experimental and theoretical research on molecules, macromolecules or materials that are catalytic in nature (exhibiting catalytic turnover). Additional scope information:
    • Heterogeneous Electrocatalysis – Editorial
    • Biocatalysis and Enzymology, Molecular Catalysis for Organic Synthesis, and Heterogeneous Photocatalysis – Editorial
    • Organic Electrosynthesis – When is it Electrocatalysis? – Editorial
  • Catalyst characterizations, comparisons to other catalysts: Editorial (Preparing your manuscript for submission to ACS Catalysis) Perspective (Benchmarking)
  • Cover Letter: must include a paragraph explaining why your manuscript is appropriate for ACS Catalysis, clearly indicating what key advance(s) are described in the work, and a statement confirming the manuscript has not been previously published by any of the authors and/or is not under consideration for publication in another journal at the time of submission.
  • Suggested Reviewers: Submit names and email addresses of at least four scientists from different countries who could evaluate the work. These suggested reviewers must not be former mentors or mentees nor collaborators or coauthors from the past five years.
  • Disclosure of previous submissions: If the manuscript was previously rejected by ACS Catalysis, provide the manuscript number and a detailed response to each reviewer’s comments.
  • Disclosure of prior publication & ACS Catalysis preprint policy: Preprint Policy Editorial
  • Author list with affiliations: must match between manuscript file and electronic entry at submission
  • Choose manuscript type: Letter, Article, Perspective, Review, Viewpoint, Account, Correspondence, or Addition and Correction
  • Title and Abstract: be clear and concise, reflect the emphasis and content of the paper. Titles and abstracts of manuscripts may not contain the words “New”, “Novel”, or “First”; “Superb”, “Excellent”, “Exceptional”, “Outstanding” or other similar descriptive words discouraged unless rigorously supported by a thorough comparison with the state-of-the-art in the manuscript. Superlative Scientific Writing Editorial
  • 5–8 Keywords: these keywords will appear in the PDF version of the article and will be used as a search term in the HTML version of the article
  • Artwork Tables/Schemes/ Graphics: Text should be clear and legible, ideally with Arial or Helvetica fonts, with fonts no smaller than 8 pt. ChemDraw must be in a specific format, Chemistry is Beautiful Editorial. Figures must be mentioned in the text in consecutive order and number with Arabic numerals. Avoid inset figures.
  • References: Include article titles in references. Editorial
  • Safety: Authors must emphasize any unexpected, new, and/or significant hazards associated with the work.
  • Table of Contents graphic: required, dimensions of 3.33 in. width. (8.46 cm) and height, 1.87 in. (4.77 cm)
  • Cover Art (optional): Authors are encouraged to submit images to be considered for use on the front cover or Supplementary Covers. Images should be 8.19 in x 10.00 in. (or 20.80 cm x 25.40 cm) in TIF, JPG, PNG or EPS file format with a resolution of at least 300 dpi for pixel-based images. Please note that the journal title will cover the top 2 in. (5.08 cm) of the image.
  • Supporting Information (if any): must be included at the time of electronic submission. Include the heading “Supporting Information” followed by the manuscript title, author list, and affiliations. Tables, Schemes, and Figures should be written as Table S1, Figure S1, Scheme S1, etc.
  • Administrative considerations: All papers must not be under consideration or published elsewhere; manuscripts will be screened with plagiarism software; information on whether the paper has been previously considered elsewhere must be provided; do not forget to list funding sources and ORCID.

Scope of the Journal

ACS Catalysis is an interdisciplinary journal publishing original research on and at the interfaces of heterogeneous catalysis, homogeneous catalysis, and biocatalysis/enzymology. The journal is devoted to reports of new and original experimental and theoretical research on molecules, macromolecules or materials that are catalytic in nature (exhibiting catalytic turnover), and the catalysts should be characterized to the extent possible by turnover frequencies and fundamental kinetic parameters. Manuscripts that are essentially reporting data or applications of data are, in general, not suitable for publication in ACS Catalysis. While papers focusing on catalytic turnover (catalysis) will form the core of the journal, highly impactful papers characterizing catalytic materials or molecules (catalysts) will also be considered.

Manuscript Types

A. Letters are short articles that report results whose immediate availability to the science and engineering community is deemed important. Letters are restricted to 2000 words or the equivalent (8 double-spaced typewritten pages of text and 4–5 figures). A brief abstract of less than 100 words should be included. Letters often will be complete publications, but follow-up publication may occasionally be justified when the research is continued and a more complete account of the work is deemed necessary. Special efforts will be made to expedite the reviewing and the publication of Letters. The time for proofreading the galley proofs is relatively short. For this reason, authors of Letters should ensure that manuscripts are in final, error-free form when submitted. A template for Letters is available.

 

B. Articles should cover their subjects with thoroughness, clarity, and completeness but should be as concise as possible. Abstracts to Articles are typically limited to 300 words and should summarize the significant results and conclusions.

 

C. Perspectives are short reviews of recent developments in an established or developing topical area. Authors of perspectives are asked to provide a critical assessment of the field of interest, rather than a compilation and summary of literature reports. Perspectives will typically be 20 pages in length, depending on the topic being covered. Authors may be invited by the Editors to submit Perspectives. Pre-proposals will not be considered. Unsolicited Perspectives could be considered instead; however, authors submitting a Perspective are strongly encouraged to remember that catalysis should be the primary focus of the work and to address in the cover letter what differentiates their submission from the most recent and related Reviews, Perspectives, or Viewpoints published in the topic area.

 

D. Reviews are comprehensive, critical examinations of a selected topic, typically over a defined time period. Unsolved problems and emerging areas should be highlighted. A Review should consist of a maximum of 40 pages (approximately 65000 characters) of main text, literature citations, tables, and legends. Most Reviews are expected to be substantially shorter in length, but the length will be dictated by the subject matter to some degree. Authors may be invited by the Editors to submit Reviews. Pre-proposals will not be considered. Unsolicited Reviews could be considered instead; however, authors submitting a Review are strongly encouraged to remember that catalysis should be the primary focus of the work and to address in the cover letter what differentiates their submission from the most recent and related Reviews, Perspectives, or Viewpoints published in the topic area.

 

E. Viewpoints appear mostly as a result of an invitation from the Editor. Viewpoints may be general commentaries and tutorials of immediate interest to the broad readership. These articles normally will be in highly active research areas, and they are not intended to be reviews of the literature. The author will be asked to provide a clear, concise, and critical status report of the field as an introduction, and the author’s own insights or contributions to the field should constitute the main body of the article. Viewpoints will typically range from 3 to 6 journal pages in length and have no abstract included. However, a Table of Contents graphic is required for this type of manuscript (see below for further information). Authors may be invited by the Editors to submit Viewpoints. Pre-proposals will not be considered. Unsolicited Viewpoints could be considered instead; however, authors interested in submitting a Viewpoint are strongly encouraged to remember that catalysis should be the primary focus of the work and to address in the cover letter what differentiates their submission from the most recent and related Reviews, Perspectives, or Viewpoints published in the topic area.  

 

F. Accounts are reviews of a prominent catalysis researcher's scientific contributions, published to mark the researcher's retirement or other notable event/anniversary. They should include details of the researcher's career, including their scientific and technical influences and positions held, with the main body of the piece discussing the major new findings or advances he/she made over his/her career. In the majority of cases, these will be organized chronologically. Contributions are not written by the subject of the contribution, but are instead typically written by current or former associates of the scientist or engineer. Accounts adopt a format similar to Perspectives, being typically 6–20 journal pages in length and using figures, schemes, and tables where possible as well as photographs where appropriate. Note that permission must be obtained for use of all pictures and figures. Accounts will be published infrequently by the journal and are published on an invitation-only basis, though proposals may be sent to the Editor-in-Chief.

 

G. Correspondence/Rebuttal. Correspondence is a technical contribution providing, with supporting material, a respectful but alternative point of view to one that has appeared in ACS Catalysis. It should be submitted within 18 months of the ASAP publication date of the original article. The author of the original publication may be invited to write a Rebuttal. The Correspondence and Rebuttal will appear in the same issue of the journal.

 

NOTE: Additions/Corrections, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern are included in the postpublication section (Publisher Content).

ACS Publishing Center

While this document will provide basic information on how to prepare and submit the manuscript as well as other critical information about publishing, we also encourage authors to visit the ACS Publishing Center for additional information on everything that is needed to prepare (and review) manuscripts for ACS journals and partner journals, such as

  • Mastering the Art of Scientific Publication, which shares editor tips about a variety of topics including making your paper scientifically effective, preparing excellent graphics, and writing cover letters.
  • Resources on how to prepare and submit a manuscript to ACS Paragon Plus, ACS Publications’ manuscript submission and peer review environment, including details on selecting the applicable Journal Publishing Agreement.
  • Sharing your research with the public through the ACS Publications open access program.
  • ACS Reviewer Lab, a free online course covering best practices for peer review and related ethical considerations. 
  • ACS Author Lab, a free online course that empowers authors to prepare and submit strong manuscripts, avoiding errors that could lead to delays in the publication process.
  • ACS Inclusivity Style Guide, a guide that helps researchers communicate in ways that recognize and respect diversity in all its forms.

Manuscript Preparation

Submit with Fast Format

All ACS journals and partner journals have simplified their formatting requirements in favor of a streamlined and standardized format for an initial manuscript submission. Read more about the requirements and the benefits these serves authors and reviewers here.

 

Manuscripts submitted for initial consideration must adhere to these standards:

  • Submissions must be complete with clearly identified standard sections used to report original research, free of annotations or highlights, and include all numbered and labeled components.
  • Figures, charts, tables, schemes, and equations should be embedded in the text at the point of relevance. Separate graphics can be supplied later at revision, if necessary.
  • When required by a journal's structure or length limitations, manuscript templates should be used.
  • References can be provided in any style, but they must be complete, including titles. For information about the required components of different reference types, please refer to the ACS Style Quick Guide.
  • Supporting Information must be submitted as a separate file(s).

Document Templates and Format

The templates facilitate the peer review process by allowing authors to place artwork and tables close to the point where they are discussed within the text. Learn more about document templates here. 

 

General information on the preparation of manuscripts may also be found in the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication.

Acceptable Software, File Designations, and TeX/LaTeX

See the list of Acceptable Software and appropriate File Designations to be sure your file types are compatible with ACS Paragon Plus. Information for manuscripts generated from TeX/LaTeX is also available.

Cover Letter

A cover letter must accompany every manuscript submission. During the submission process, you may type it or paste it into the submission system, or you may attach it as a file.

 

The cover letter to ACS Catalysis must contain the following elements. Please provide these elements in the order listed:

  • A paragraph explaining why your manuscript is appropriate for ACS Catalysis. This paragraph should clearly indicate what key advance(s) is/are described in the work.
  • If the manuscript was previously rejected by ACS Catalysis, provide the manuscript number of the rejected manuscript and a detailed response to each reviewer’s comments.
  • If the manuscript was previously declined by any other ACS journal, it is helpful to provide the name of the journal, the manuscript number, an explanation of the basis for the rejection, and a statement granting ACS Catalysis permission to obtain the Editor’s decision letter and reviews for the declined manuscript. Please provide a detailed response to each reviewer’s comments as outlined in Section IV, Revised Manuscripts.
  • A statement confirming the manuscript, or its contents in some other form, has not been published previously by any of the authors and/or is not under consideration for publication in another journal at the time of submission. Submission to a pre-print depository, such as ChemRxiv or bioRxiv is allowed, but must be noted in the cover letter.
  • A description of any supporting information and/or Review-Only Material.
  • The names and e-mail addresses of at least four possible reviewers. These suggested reviewers must not be former mentors or mentees nor collaborators or coauthors from the past five years. Ideally, two or more suggested referees will work in different countries from the authors, when possible. Non-preferred reviewers may be denoted, along with a reason for their designation.

Manuscript Text Components

Title

Titles should clearly and concisely reflect the emphasis and content of the paper. Titles are of great importance for current awareness and information retrieval and should be carefully constructed for these purposes. Titles of manuscripts may not contain the words “New”, “First”, or “Novel” nor any part number or series number without permission from the Editor. Additionally, “Superb”, “Excellent”, “Exceptional”, “Outstanding” or other similar descriptive words, are strongly discouraged.

Author List

Bylines should include all those who have made substantial contributions to the work. To facilitate indexing and retrieval and for unique identification of an author, use first names, initials, and surnames (e.g., John R. Smith) or first initials, second names, and last names (e.g., J. Robert Smith). At least one author must be designated with an asterisk to indicate the person to whom readers may send correspondence. There should be no more than three corresponding authors per paper. Deceased persons who meet the criterion for inclusion as co-authors should be so included, with an acknowledgment indicating the date of death.

Institution Address

The author affiliation(s) listed should be the institution(s) where the work was conducted. If the present address of an author differs from that at which the work was done, the current address should be given in a note at the end, for example "Present Address for [author initials" followed by the present address. The e-mail address(es) of the corresponding author or authors must also be provided as a separate line below the institution addresses.

 

Many Funders and Institutions require that institutional affiliations are identified for all authors listed in the work being submitted. ACS facilitates this requirement by collecting institution information during manuscript submission under Step 2: Authors and Affiliations in ACS Paragon Plus.

Abstract

All Articles, Letters, Perspectives, and Reviews must be accompanied by an abstract, including an Abstract (TOC) graphic, which should state briefly the purpose of the research (if this is not contained in the title), the principal results, and major conclusions. Abstracts of manuscripts may not contain the words “superb”, “excellent”, “exceptional”, “outstanding”, or other similar descriptive words unless rigorously supported by a thorough comparison with the state-of-the-art in the manuscript. Like manuscript titles, the words “New”, “First”, or “Novel” are also generally disallowed in the abstract.

Keywords

All Articles, Letters, Perspectives, and Reviews must be accompanied by 5–8 keywords. These keywords will appear in the PDF version of the article and will also be used as a search term in the HTML version of the article.

Text

All sections of the paper must be presented in a clear and concise manner. Authors should include an introductory statement outlining the scientific motivation for the research. The statement should clearly specify the questions for which the answers are sought as well as the connection of the present work with previous and current work in the field. In both Letters and Articles, the introduction should be a separate section of the paper. In the discussion section, the author should discuss the significance of his/her observations, measurements, or computations. Conclusions of manuscripts may not contain the words “superb”, “excellent”, “exceptional”, “outstanding” or similar descriptive words unless the claim is rigorously supported by a thorough comparison with the state-of-the-art in the manuscript. The author should also point out how they contribute to the scientific objectives indicated in the introduction. Tabulation of experimental results is encouraged whenever it leads to a more effective presentation or economical use of space. Authors are encouraged to make extensive use of the Supporting Information format, because this material is now widely available on the Web at http://pubs.acs.org.

 

ACS Catalysis does not allow footnotes, with the exception of an author information footnote on the title page or table details/definition footnotes.

 

Plagiarism. Manuscripts must be original with respect to concept, content, and writing. It is not appropriate for an author to reuse wording from other publications, including one’s own previous publications, whether or not that publication is cited.

 

Figures. All figures must be mentioned in the text in consecutive order and must be numbered with Arabic numerals and placed in the text near the point of first mention. Figures should use Arial or Helvetica fonts, whenever possible. A caption giving the figure number and a brief description, preferably only one or two sentences, must be included. The caption should be understandable without reference to the text. It is preferable to place a symbol key or graphical legend in the artwork itself, not in the caption. Ensure that any symbols and abbreviations used in the text agree with those in the artwork. Authors are required to ensure that similar figures have similar resolution and quality (all black and white figures should have resolution similar to each other; all color figures should have resolution similar to each other). See the section under “Artwork” for details.

 

Schemes. Sequences of reactions are called schemes and should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals and placed in the text near the point of first mention. Schemes may have brief titles describing their contents and footnotes, if needed, for further detail.

 

Charts. Groups of structures that do not show reactions are called charts and should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals and placed in the text near the point of first mention. Charts may have brief titles describing their contents and footnotes, if needed, for further detail.

 

Tables. Tables may be created using a word-processor’s text mode or table format feature. The table format feature is preferred. Ensure that each data entry is in its own table cell. If the text mode is used, separate columns with a single tab and use a line feed (return) at the end of each row.

 

Tables should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals and placed in the text near the point of first mention. Each table must have a brief (one phrase or sentence) title that describes the contents. The title should be understandable without reference to the text. Details should be put in the table's footnotes, not in the title. Tables should be used when the data cannot be presented clearly as narrative, when many numbers must be presented, or when more meaningful interrelationships can be conveyed by the tabular format. Tables should supplement, not duplicate, information presented in the text and figures. Tables should be simple and concise.

 

Define nonstandard abbreviations in footnotes. Footnotes in tables should be given letter designations and be cited in the table by italic superscript letters. The sequence of letters should proceed by line rather than by column. If a reference is cited both in the text and in a table, a lettered footnote which refers to the numbered reference in the text should be placed in the table.

 

In setting up tables, authors should keep in mind the type area of the ACS Catalysis page (17.8 cm × 23.5 cm) and the column width (8.5 cm) and should make tables conform to the limitations of these dimensions.

Supporting Information

This information is provided to the reviewers during the peer-review process (for Review Only) and is available to readers of the published work (for Publication). Supporting Information must be submitted at the same time as the manuscript. See the list of Acceptable Software by File Designation and confirm that your Supporting Information is viewable.

 

If the manuscript is accompanied by any supporting information files for publication, these files will be made available free of charge to readers. A brief, nonsentence description of the actual contents of each file, including the file type extension, is required. This description should be labeled Supporting Information and should appear before the Acknowledgement and Reference sections.  Examples of sufficient and insufficient descriptions are as follows:

 

Examples of sufficient descriptions: “Supporting Information: 1H NMR spectra for all compounds (PDF)” or “Additional experimental details, materials, and methods, including photographs of experimental setup (DOC)”.

 

Examples of insufficient descriptions: “Supporting Information: Figures S1-S3” or “Additional figures as mentioned in the text”.

 

When including supporting information for review only, include copies of references that are unpublished or in-press. These files are available only to editors and reviewers.

Research Data Policy

All ACS journals strongly encourage authors to make the research data underlying their articles publicly available at the time of publication.

Research data is defined as materials and information used in the experiments that enable the validation of the conclusions drawn in the article, including primary data produced by the authors for the study being reported, secondary data reused or analyzed by the authors for the study, and any other materials necessary to reproduce or replicate the results.

The ACS Research Data Policy provides additional information on Data Availability Statements, Data Citation, and Data Repositories.

Data Requirements

Compound Characterization, Experimental and Computational Data

Authors are required to provide sufficient information (as described in more detail below) to establish the identity of a new compound, its purity, and its yield. Sufficient experimental details must also be included to allow another researcher to reproduce the synthesis. Safety: Authors must emphasize any unexpected, new, and/or significant hazards or risks associated with the reported work. This information should be in the experimental details section of the full article or communication. Characterization data and experimental details must be included in either the paper or the Supporting Information. Guidelines for reporting NMR data are available online. Note that, when possible, unambiguous peak assignments should be given for all NMR spectra.

Guidelines for Characterization of Organometallic and Inorganic Compounds

(a) Routine Compounds
Compounds in this category are those that have literature precedent. Sufficient data must be provided to identify and verify the structure of such compounds, and the original preparation should be cited in either the Experimental Section or the Supporting Information. When possible, representative spectra should be provided in the Supporting Information.

 

(b) Novel or Unexpected Compounds
Compounds in this category are those that either (i) exhibit an unprecedented type of structure, or (ii) are obtained by unexpected reaction. Such compounds require more detailed characterization to ensure their validity and purity. In the majority of cases, evidence for elemental constitution must be provided by elemental analysis. If accurate elemental analysis data are not possible, a clear statement to this effect must be included within the text of the manuscript and other methods to establish purity and identity given (e.g., mass spectrometry data and representative NMR data should be provided in the Supporting Information). Please note that, in many cases, spectroscopic data are insufficient to establish purity owing to the presence of undetectable species. In addition to elemental analysis and/or mass spectrometry data, spectroscopic techniques should be used to provide sufficient characterization (including NMR, IR, UV–vis or EPR spectroscopy). To the extent possible, resonances from NMR data should be assigned to specific chemical functionality. While an X-ray diffraction structure is not considered definitive proof of elemental composition, it is acceptable evidence for composition, providing that the results of other physical methods concerning the characterization are conclusive.

 

(c) Solid State Materials
Compounds in this category are those that have no existence in solution. Solid state materials, such as heterogeneous catalysts, must be characterized in such a way as to sufficiently describe their structure and composition. Atomic ratios and elemental compositions must be provided for solid state materials. X-ray diffraction data should be provided for crystalline materials.

 

(d) Compounds That Have Not Been Isolated
Compounds that have not been isolated in pure form (e.g. reaction intermediates, intractable mixtures, or unstable species) may be published. However, in these circumstances, an explicit statement must be given in the paper (not only in the Supporting Information) indicating that the compounds have not been isolated. Only in exceptional circumstances will a paper be published in which none of the new compounds reported has been isolated and fully characterized.

 

(e) Purity and Yield
The yield and purity of all molecular species must be reported, including the methods used to determine them. The yield of a compound obtained in an NMR tube reaction should be determined using an internal standard. Similarly, internal standards and/or calibration curves must be employed in determining GC yields.

Guidelines for Characterization of Organic Compounds

(a) Sample Quality
For new substances, evidence of the homogeneity of the purified sample should be included. Elemental analysis is sufficient. If no analysis was performed, then sufficient other evidence (for example, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HPLC, GLPC, gel electrophoresis, etc.) must be included as figures in the Supporting Information.

 

(b) Molecular Weight
Evidence of molecular weight should be provided, especially if elemental analysis is not performed. Low-resolution MS data under conditions that minimize fragmentation are acceptable. If there is a specific need to distinguish alternative formulas with the same molecular mass (within one amu), then HRMS data are necessary.

 

(c) Miscellaneous
Numerical listings of characteristic spectroscopic data should be included to support assigned structures, changes in functionality, unusual chromophores, etc. Methods of purification used to prepare samples for characterization should be described. For crystalline samples, information about the method of crystallization should be included (solvents; mp; etc.). For non-racemic, chiral substances, data to allow correlation of absolute configuration should be given, preferably including [α]D values. If correlation data are provided based on HPLC or GLPC methods, then retention times for both enantiomers must be provided, together with solvent and flow rate information, and identification of the chiral support.

 

(d) Intermediates on Solid Phase; Combinatorial Chemistry
Validation of methods and characterization of new substances in a statistically significant sampling should be provided. Resin-bound intermediates need not be characterized if acceptable end product quality (as defined in a–c above) is demonstrated.

Kinetic and Equilibrium Data

The reporting of kinetic data and equilibrium binding data for proteins, nucleic acids, and other species should preferably include a description of the identity of the catalyst or binding molecule, its origin, purity of composition, and any modifications, such as mutations, post-translational modifications, or other modifications made to facilitate expression and purification. The method of assay and the exact experimental conditions of the assay should be provided as a reference to previous work, with or without modifications, or fully described if a new assay. Conditions essential to reproduce the results, such as the temperature, pH, and pressure (if other than atmospheric) of the assay should be included. Terms such as “not detectable” (ND) should be avoided. Instead, an estimate of the limit of detection based on the sensitivity and error analysis of the assay should be provided. Authors are referred to the STRENDA (Standards for Reporting Enzymology Data) Commission of the Beilstein Institut for an example of detailed guidelines.

Structural and Sequence Data for Proteins and Nucleic Acids

Atomic coordinates and structure factors for proteins determined by X-ray crystallography and coordinates determined by NMR should be deposited with the Protein Data Bank, Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics at Rutgers University. Theoretical model depositions are no longer accepted for inclusion in the PDB archive. Structures of nucleic acids should be deposited with the Nucleic Acid Database. It is the responsibility of the author to obtain a file name (PDB ID or NDB ID) for the molecule; the file name must appear in the published manuscript. DNA and amino acid sequences should be deposited in a public sequence repository such as DNA DataBank of Japan (DDBJ), the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA), or GenBank at National Center for Biotechnology Information. A manuscript will be sent out for review without the file name only after receipt from the submitting author of a written statement that the coordinates will be deposited. If a file name has not yet been obtained upon acceptance of a paper, it must be added in proof. Atomic coordinates and structure factors for all structures must be released immediately upon publication of the paper.

Single Crystal Diffraction Data

Manuscripts reporting the determination of one or more structures by X-ray diffraction must adhere to the following requirements:

 

Abstract. The abstract may summarize geometric features of unusual interest but should not contain unit cell parameters.

 

Main Body of Manuscript. Tables of essential interatomic distances and angles are not required but may be submitted (metric information for standard structural components should not be included).

 

For structures with anisotropically refined atoms, a figure displaying the thermal ellipsoids should ordinarily be presented; a spherical-atom representation may be substituted if necessary for clarity. If a spherical atom view is chosen for the manuscript, a thermal ellipsoid figure should be included in the Supporting Information. In cases when intermolecular interactions are relevant to the discussion, a view of the unit cell may be included.

 

An Article should list for each structure the formula, formula weight, crystal system, space group, color of crystal, unit cell parameters, temperature of data collection, and values of Z, R, and GOF; a brief description of data collection, and solution and refinement of the structure, should be placed in the Supporting Information. Tables of atom coordinates and thermal parameters will not be printed.

CIF Submission Instructions

If single crystal X-ray structures are reported, authors are required to submit X-ray crystallographic data to be published as Supporting Information. The information required for each structure should be submitted in the electronic Crystallographic Information File (CIF) format. Such files should be submitted electronically as described below.

 

CIFs must be uploaded at the same time the manuscript is submitted via the Web, with the file designation Supporting Information for Publication. The CIF for each structure should be uploaded as a separate Supporting Information file. CIFs should be saved in the text-only (plain ASCII) format, with a .cif extension before being submitted. No information other than the CIF itself should be included inside the file. CIFs may NOT be furnished as Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, or PDF files.

 

Before submission, CIFs must be checked using the CheckCIF utility on the Web at http://checkcif.iucr.org/. A copy of the output should be retained in case it is requested by an Editor. Authors with appropriate software may alternatively use IUCRVAL or the CHECK validation tool in PLATON.

 

If CIFs are not available, the required data should be furnished in neatly formatted tables with informative titles that identify the name or the structure number of the compound.

Powder Diffraction Data

No special instructions apply to the use of X-ray powder diffraction in a routine manner to characterize heterogeneous catalysts. However, for new crystalline materials or for crystalline materials previously uncharacterized by this technique, specific guidelines are given here. In such cases, data from X-ray powder measurements should be accompanied by details of the experimental technique: source of X-rays, the radiation, its wavelength, filters or monochromators, camera diameter, the type of X-ray recording, and the technique for measuring intensities. In cases of unindexed listing of the data, the d spacings of all observed lines should be listed in sequence, together with their relative intensities. In cases where filtered radiation is used, every effort should be made to identify residual β lines. Where resolution into α1–α2 doublets occurs, the identification of the d spacing for each line as dα1, dα2 gives a measure of the quality of the diffraction pattern. When an indexing of the data is offered, the observed and calculated 1/d2 values should be listed along with the observed relative intensities (it is superfluous to give d spacings in this instance). All calculated 1/d2 values should be listed (exclusive of systematic absences), to the limit of the data quoted. If possible, the crystal system should be specified. Possible space groups may also be listed if the data warrant it. Relevant information about the specimen used should be included.

Mechanistic Proposals

To support mechanistic proposals, characterization of intermediate species with multiple spectroscopic methods should be done, when possible, and/or adequately supported by theoretical calculations. Furthermore, mechanistic proposals should be adequately backed by experimental data or experimentally calibrated theoretical methods.

Computations

When computational results are an essential part of a manuscript, sufficient detail must be given, either within the paper or in the Supporting Information, to enable readers to reproduce the calculations. This includes data such as force field parameters and equations defining the model (or references to where such material is available in the open literature). If the software used for calculations is generally available, it must be properly cited in the References. References to the methods upon which the software is based must also be provided. Results obtained from methods or parameters that are not adequately described in the manuscript or in the literature are not acceptable for publication. Authors who report the results of electronic structure calculations are requested to provide as Supporting Information the geometries (either as Cartesian coordinates or Z matrices) of all the stationary points whose relative energies are given in the manuscript. The absolute energies in hartrees that are computed at these geometries should not be given in the manuscript but should be included in the Supporting Information. Where applicable, the number of imaginary frequencies should be reported to identify stable structures and transition states.

Language and Editing Services

A well-written paper helps share your results most clearly. ACS Publications’ English Editing Service is designed to help scientists communicate their research effectively. Our subject-matter expert editors will edit your manuscript for grammar, spelling, and other language errors so your ideas are presented at their best.

Preparing Graphics

The quality of illustrations in ACS journals and partner journals depends on the quality of the original files provided by the authors. Figures are not modified or enhanced by journal production staff. All graphics must be prepared and submitted in digital format.

 

Graphics should be inserted into the main body whenever possible. Please see Appendix 2 for additional information.

 

Any graphic (figure chart, scheme, or equation) that has appeared in an earlier publication should include a credit line citing the original source. Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission to re-use this material.

Figure and Illustration Services

The impact of your research is not limited to what you can express with words. Tables and figures such as graphs, photographs, illustrations, diagrams, and other visuals can play a significant role in effectively communicating your findings. Our Artwork Editing and Graphical Abstract services generate publication-ready figures and Table of Contents (TOC) graphics that conform to your chosen journal’s specifications. For figures, this includes changes to file type, resolution, color space, font, scale, line weights, and layout (to improve readability and professional appearance). For TOC graphics, our illustrators can work with a rough sketch or concept or help extract the key findings of your manuscript directly for use as a visual summary of your paper.

Preparing for Submission

Manuscripts, graphics, supporting information, and required forms, as well as manuscript revisions, must all be submitted in digital format through ACS Paragon Plus, which requires an ACS ID to log in. Registering for an ACS ID is fast, free, and does not require an ACS membership. Please refer to Appendix 1 for additional information on preparing your submission

Prior Publication Policy

ACS Catalysis considers for publication original work that has not been previously published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Related work under consideration for publication in any medium must be cited in the manuscript and the Editor-in-Chief informed at the time of submission. An author must inform the Editor-in-Chief of prior dissemination of the content in print or electronic formats in the cover letter. Common types of prior dissemination are addressed individually below.

 

  1. Posting of the original submitted manuscript to a pre-print server is acceptable. Posting a revised version after peer review is out of policy. Once a manuscript has been submitted to ACS Catalysis, no revised versions of it may be posted to pre-print servers while it is under consideration by the journal, including during revision, resubmission, or following acceptance. Please note the use of a pre-print server explicitly in the cover letter, and as appropriate, state how the manuscript has been adjusted/updated between the pre-print version and the version submitted to ACS Catalysis. Authors may not revise these preprints. Upon publication in ACS Catalysis authors are advised to add a link from the preprint to the published paper via the Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Some services, such as ChemRxiv and bioRxiv, add this link for authors automatically after publication.
  2. Authors submitting material that has been used in their thesis/dissertation must notify the Editor-in-Chief in the cover letter. Authors should confirm that they alone hold the copyright to the work and have read and comply with the ACS dissertation policy and the conditions and procedures laid out in the ACS Journal Publishing Agreement.
  3. Publishing material that has been used in reports to research sponsors is acceptable provided one or more of the authors holds the copyright.

Editorial Policies

All manuscripts are subject to evaluation by the Editor and/or Associate Editors prior to external peer review, and manuscripts sufficiently lacking in novelty or new insights may be rejected without external peer review. In such instances, these decisions will be made expediently so as to not delay publication elsewhere. Before publication, all manuscripts, including invited contributions, are subject to critical, anonymous peer review. Reviewers are advisory to the Editor. It is understood that the final decision relating to a manuscript’s suitability rests solely with the Editor.

 

Related Work. All related work under consideration for publication in any medium must be cited in the manuscript and the Editor informed at the time of submission. When related work by any of the authors is not available because it is in press (accepted), submitted, or in preparation for submission to ACS Catalysis or another journal, a copy of each related paper should be uploaded as “Supporting Information for Review Only” at the time of submission for use by the reviewers and the Editors. If a cited reference has already appeared on the Web, indicate that it is published electronically (“ASAP” for ACS journals) and give the DOI number for convenient access. The full journal citation should be completed during manuscript revision or page proof correction, if possible.

 

Disclosure of Previous Submissions. If the manuscript was previously rejected by ACS Catalysis, provide the manuscript number and a detailed response to each reviewer’s comments. If the manuscript was previously declined by any other journal, you must disclose this, but providing the journal name and additional information optional. Authors must respond to the ACS Paragon Plus submission questions, “Has this manuscript in whole or in part been previously submitted to this journal? to another journal, either ACS or non-ACS?” Disclosing Prior Submissions Editorial and Outcomes of Disclosure Editorial

 

Chemical Structures. Structures should be produced with the use of a drawing program such as ChemDraw. Structure drawing requirements (preset in the ACS Stylesheet in ChemDraw) are reviewed in this Editorial and as follows:

  • As drawing settings select:
    • chain angle, 120º
    • bond spacing, 18% of width
    • fixed length, 14.4 pt (0.508 cm, 0.2 in.)
    • bold width, 2.0 pt (0.071 cm, 0.0278 in.)
    • line width, 0.6 pt (0.021 cm, 0.0084 in.)
    • margin width, 1.6 pt (0.056 cm, 0.0222 in.)
    • hash spacing, 2.5 pt (0.088 cm, 0.0347 in.)
  • As text settings select:
    • font, Arial/Helvetica
    • size, 10 pt
  • Under the preferences, choose:
    • units, points
    • tolerances, 5 pixels
  • Under page setup, choose:
    • paper, US Letter
    • scale, 100%

 

Authors using other drawing packages should, in as far as possible, modify their program’s parameters so that they reflect the above guidelines.

Providing Potential Reviewer Names

Please suggest at least 4 reviewers from different countries who could evaluate the work. These suggested reviewers must not be former mentors or mentees nor collaborators or coauthors from the past five years. Authors are encouraged to avoid suggesting reviewers from the authors’ institutions. Do not suggest reviewers who may have a real or perceived conflict of interest. Whenever possible, suggest academic email addresses rather than personal email addresses.

 

A manuscript sent back to an author for revision should be returned to the Editor as soon as possible. The revision deadlines for Articles, Perspectives, Reviews, and Viewpoints are as follows:

  • Minor revisions: 14 days
  • Major revisions: 28 days
  • Reject and resubmit: 90 days

 

Owing to their shorter format and higher degree of urgency, the revision deadlines for Letters are as follows:

  • Minor revisions: 10 days
  • Major revisions: 21 days
  • Reject and resubmit: 60 days

 

If a revision is not received by the given deadline, the manuscript will be considered withdrawn unless an agreement has been reached with the Editor for an extension of the deadline. Revised manuscripts are sometimes sent back to the original reviewers, who are asked to comment on the revisions. If only minor revisions are involved, in most cases, the Editor will examine the revised manuscript in light of the recommendations of the reviewers without seeking further opinions. A letter from the author must accompany the revised manuscript and provide a detailed account of how the author has responded to the reviewer’s comments. This letter should include the reviewers’ comments and a “point-by-point” response to each, including any changes made, from the authors. The dates of receipt of both the original and revised manuscripts will appear in publication.

Manuscript Transfer

If your submission is declined for publication by this journal, the editors might deem your work to be better suited for another ACS Publications journal or partner journal and suggest that the authors consider transferring the submission. Manuscript Transfer simplifies and shortens the process of submitting to another ACS journal or partner journal, as all the coauthors, suggested reviewers, manuscript files, and responses to submission questions are copied by ACS Paragon Plus to the new draft submission. Authors are free to accept or decline the transfer offer.

 

Note that each journal is editorially independent. Transferring a manuscript is not a guarantee that the manuscript will be accepted, as the final publication decision will belong to the editor of the next journal.

PRODUCTION AND PUBLICATION

Proofs via ACS Direct Correct

Correction of the galley proofs is the responsibility of the Corresponding Author. The Corresponding Author of an accepted manuscript will receive e-mail notification and complete instructions when page proofs are available for review via ACS Direct Correct. Extensive or important changes on page proofs, including changes to the title or list of authors, are subject to review by the editor.

 

It is the responsibility of the Corresponding Author to ensure that all authors listed on the manuscript agree with the changes made on the proofs. Galley proofs should be returned within 48 hours in order to ensure timely publication of the manuscript.

Publication Date and Patent Dates

Accepted manuscripts will be published on the ACS Publications Web site as soon as page proofs are corrected and all author concerns are resolved. The first date on which the document is published on the Web is considered the publication date.

 

Publication of manuscripts on the Web may occur weeks in advance of the cover date of the issue of publication. Authors should take this into account when planning their patent and intellectual property activities related to a document and should ensure that all patent information is available at the time of first publication, whether ASAP or issue publication.

 

All articles published ahead of print receive a unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, which is used to cite the manuscript before and after the paper appears in an issue. Additionally, any supplemental information submitted along with the manuscript will automatically be assigned a DOI and hosted on Figshare to promote open data discoverability and use of your research outputs.

ASAP Publication

Manuscripts will be published on the “ASAP Articles” page on the web as soon as page proofs are corrected and all author concerns are resolved. ASAP publication usually occurs within a few working days of receipt of page proof corrections, which can be several weeks in advance of the cover date of the issue.

Post-Publication Policies

The American Chemical Society follows guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when considering any ethical concerns regarding a published article, Retractions, and Expressions of Concern.

Additions and Corrections

Additions and Corrections may be requested by the author(s) or initiated by the Editor to address important issues or correct errors and omissions of consequence that arise after publication of an article. All Additions and Corrections are subject to approval by the Editor, and should bring new and directly relevant information and corrections that fix scientific facts. Minor corrections and additions will not be published. Readers who detect errors of consequence in the work of others should contact the corresponding author of that work.

 

Additions and Corrections must be submitted as new manuscripts via ACS Paragon Plus by the Corresponding Author for publication in the “Addition/Correction” section of the Journal. The corresponding author should obtain approval from all coauthors prior to submitting or provide evidence that such approval has been solicited. The manuscript should include the original article title and author list, citation including DOI, and details of the correction.

Retractions

Articles may be retracted for scientific or ethical reasons and may be requested by the article author(s) or by the journal Editor(s), but are ultimately published at the discretion of the Editor. Articles that contain seriously flawed or erroneous data such that their findings and conclusions cannot be relied upon may be retracted in order to correct the scientific record. When an article is retracted, a notice of Retraction will be published containing information about the reason for the Retraction. The originally published article will remain online except in extraordinary circumstances (e.g. where deemed legally necessary, or if the availability of the published content poses public health risks).

Expressions of Concern

Expressions of Concern may be issued at the discretion of the Editor if:

  • there is inconclusive evidence of research or publication misconduct by the authors;
  • there is evidence that the findings are unreliable but the authors’ institution will not investigate the case;
  • an investigation into alleged misconduct related to the publication either has not been, or would not be, fair and impartial or conclusive;
  • an investigation is underway but a judgment will not be available for a considerable time.

 

Upon completion of any related investigation, and when a final determination is made about the outcome of the article, the Expression of Concern may be replaced with a Retraction notice or Correction.

Sharing Your Published Article

At ACS Publications, we know it is important for you to be able to share your peer reviewed, published work with colleagues in the global community of scientists. As sharing on sites known as scholarly collaboration networks (SCNs) is becoming increasingly prevalent in today’s scholarly research ecosystem, we would like to remind you of the many ways in which you, a valued ACS author, can share your published work.

 

Publishing open access makes it easy to share your work with friends, colleagues, and family members. In addition, ACS Publications makes it easy to share your newly published research with ACS Articles on Request (see below). Don’t forget to promote your research and related data on social media, at conferences, and through scholarly communication networks. Increase the impact of your research using the following resources: Altmetrics, Figshare, ACS Certified Deposit

E-Prints

When your article is published in an ACS journal or partner journal, corresponding authors are provided with a link that offers up to 50 free digital prints of the final published work. This link is valid for the first 12 months following online publication, and can be shared via email or an author’s website. After one year, the access restrictions to your article will be lifted, and you can share the Articles on Request URL on social media and other channels. To access all your Articles on Request links, log in to your ACS Publishing Center account and visit the “My Published Manuscripts” page.

Reprints

Article, journal, and commercial reprints are available to order.

Appendix 1: PREPARING FOR SUBMISSION

We’ve developed ACS’ publishing and editorial policies in consultation with the research communities that we serve, including authors and librarians. Browse our policies below to learn more.

Ethical Guidelines

ACS editors have provided Ethical Guidelines for persons engaged in the publication of chemical research—specifically, for editors, authors, and reviewers. Each journal also has a specific policy on prior publication.

OFAC Compliance

As a U.S.-based non-profit organization, the American Chemical Society (ACS) is required to comply with U.S. sanctions laws and regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). While these laws and regulations permit U.S.-based publishers like ACS to engage in publishing-related activities with authors located in sanctioned regions in many cases, ACS may be prohibited under U.S. law from engaging in publishing-related activities in some cases, including, but not limited to, instances where an author or the institution with which an author is affiliated is located in a particular sanctioned region or has been designated by OFAC as a Specially Designated National (SDN) pursuant to certain U.S. sanctions programs. ACS reserves the right to refrain from engaging in any publishing-related activities that ACS determines in its sole discretion may be in violation of U.S. law.

 

Safety Considerations

Authors must emphasize any unexpected, new, and/or significant hazards or risks associated with the reported work. This information should be in the Experimental Section of a full article and included in the main text of a letter. Statement examples can be found in the Safety Statement Style Sheet and additional information on communicating safety information from the ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication is freely available here.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure

A statement describing any financial conflicts of interest or lack thereof is published in each ACS journal and partner journal article.

 

During the submission process, the Corresponding Author must provide a statement on behalf of all authors of the manuscript, describing all potential sources of bias, including affiliations, funding sources, and financial or management relationships, that may constitute conflicts of interest. If the manuscript is accepted, the statement will be published in the final article.

 

If the manuscript is accepted and no conflict of interest has been declared, the following statement will be published in the final article: “The authors declare no competing financial interest.”

Plagiarism

In publishing only original research, ACS is committed to deterring plagiarism, including self-plagiarism. ACS Publications uses CrossCheck's iThenticate software to screen submitted manuscripts for similarity to published material. Note that your manuscript may be screened during the submission process.

 

Further information about plagiarism can be found in Part B of the Ethical Guidelines to Publication of Chemical Research. See also the press release regarding ACS' participation in the CrossCheck initiative.

Authorship, Author List, and Coauthor Notification

Authors are required to obtain the consent of all their coauthors prior to submitting a manuscript. The submitting author accepts the responsibility of notifying all coauthors that the manuscript is being submitted.

 

During manuscript submission, the submitting author must provide contact information (full name, email address, institutional affiliation, and mailing address) for all of the coauthors. Because all of the author names are automatically imported into the electronic Journal Publishing Agreement, the names must be entered into ACS Paragon Plus. (Note that coauthors are not required to register in ACS Paragon Plus.) Author affiliation should reflect where the work was completed, even if the author has since left that institution. Authors may include a note with a current address if their institution has changed since the work was completed.

 

To expedite the processing of your manuscript, please format your author and affiliation information according the guidelines in this link: https://pubsapp.acs.org/paragonplus/submission/author-address-information.pdf.

 

Criteria for authorship can be found in Part B of the Ethical Guidelines to Publication of Chemical Research. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools do not qualify for authorship. The use of AI tools for text or image generation should be disclosed in the manuscript within the Acknowledgment section with a description of when and how the tools were used. For more substantial use cases or descriptions of AI tool use, authors should provide full details within the Methods or other appropriate section of the manuscript.

 

If any change in authorship is necessary after a manuscript has been submitted, confirmation is required that all of the authors (including those being added or removed) have been notified and have agreed to the change. To provide this confirmation, authors are asked to complete and sign an authorship change form and provide the completed form to the appropriate editorial office.

 

Authors with a single name: If you, or any of your coauthors, have only one name, please follow these steps for proper submission to ACS Paragon Plus:

  1. First (Given) Name Field: Enter an asterisk (*) into the "First (Given) Name" field.
  2. Last (Family) Name Field: Enter your single name into the "Last (Family) Name" field.

If your paper is accepted, the asterisk (*) will be removed from the published version of the paper.

 

 

Patent Activities and Intellectual Property

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all patent activities and intellectual property issues are satisfactorily resolved prior to first publication (ASAP or in issue). Acceptance and publication will not be delayed for pending or unresolved issues of this nature.

Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID)

Authors submitting manuscript revisions are required to provide their own personal, validated ORCID iD before completing the submission, if an ORCID iD is not already associated with their ACS Paragon Plus user profiles. This ID may be provided during original manuscript submission or when submitting the manuscript revision. All authors are strongly encouraged to register for an ORCID iD, a unique researcher identifier. The ORCID iD will be displayed in the published article for any author on a manuscript who has a validated ORCID iD associated with ACS when the manuscript is accepted.

 

ORCID iDs should not be typed into the manuscript. ACS publishes only those ORCID iDs that have been properly verified and linked before the manuscript is accepted. After your ORCID iD is linked, it will be displayed automatically in all subsequently accepted manuscripts for any/all ACS journals. We do not publish ORCID iDs provided during proof review or via other communications after a manuscript is accepted for publication.

 

With an ORCID iD, you can create a profile of your research activities to distinguish yourself from other researchers with similar names, and make it easier for your colleagues to find your publications. If you do not yet have an ORCID iD, or you wish to associate your existing ORCID iD with your ACS Paragon Plus account, you may do so by clicking on “Edit Your Profile” from your ACS Paragon Plus account homepage and following the ORCID-related links. Learn more at www.orcid.org.

To obtain forms and guidelines for completing the Journal Publishing Agreement or obtaining permissions from copyright owners, and to explore a Copyright Learning Module for chemists, click here.

Funder Reporting Requirement

Authors are required to report funding sources and grant/award numbers. Enter ALL sources of funding for ALL authors in BOTH the Funder Registry Tool in ACS Paragon Plus and in your manuscript to meet this requirement.

Open Access Compliance

ACS offers options by which authors can fulfill the requirements for open access and deposition into repositories for funded research. Visit our ACS Open Science site to see how to fulfill requirements for specific funders and to find out if you are eligible to publish under a Read + Publish agreement between ACS and your institution. You can also find out more about Open Access Compliance and ACS Open Science initiatives.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

During manuscript submission, ACS journal authors have the option to submit a statement sharing information related to diversity and inclusion that is relevant for their paper. If supplying a diversity and inclusion statement, the corresponding author must provide this on behalf of all authors of the manuscript during the submission process. These statements include but are not limited to analysis of citation diversity and acknowledgment of indigenous land on which research was conducted. Statements expressing political beliefs are not permitted and may be removed by the journal office. All statements are subject to final review by the Editor.

  • Citation Diversity Statement:The citation diversity statement should appear in the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript. ACS recommends including the following: (1) the importance of citation diversity, (2) the proportion of citations by gender and race/ethnicity for the first and last authors, (3) the method used to determine those proportions and its limitations, and (4) steps taken to by the authors to improve citation diversity in the article. We recognize that one limitation of the current methods is that it cannot account for intersex, non-binary, and transgender people, or Indigenous and mixed-race authors. (Adapted from BMES/Springer Guidelines)
  • Land acknowledgment:The land acknowledgment statement should appear in the Acknowledgements section of the manuscript. The statement should link to the institutions’ formal land acknowledgments on which the research took place, if possible. Further guidance for creating these statements can be found here: https://nativegov.org/news/a-guide-to-indigenous-land-acknowledgment/.

 

Appendix 2: Preparing Graphics

Resolution

Digital graphics pasted into manuscripts should have the following minimum resolutions:

  • Black and white line art, 1200 dpi
  • Grayscale art, 600 dpi
  • Color art, 300 dpi

Size

Graphics must fit a one- or two-column format. Single-column graphics can be sized up to 240 points wide (3.33 in.) and double-column graphics must be sized between 300 and 504 points (4.167 in. and 7 in.). The maximum depth for all graphics is 660 points (9.167 in.) including the caption (allow 12 pts. For each line of caption text). Lettering should be no smaller than 4.5 points in the final published format. The text should be legible when the graphic is viewed full-size. Helvetica or Arial fonts work well for lettering. Lines should be no thinner than 0.5 point.

Color

Color may be used to enhance the clarity of complex structures, figures, spectra, and schemes, etc., and color reproduction of graphics is provided at no additional cost to the author. Graphics intended to appear in black and white or grayscale should not be submitted in color.

Type of Graphics

Table of Contents (TOC)/Abstract Graphic

Consult the Guidelines for Table of Contents/Abstract Graphics for specifications.

Our team of subject-matter experts and graphical designers can also help generate a compelling TOC graphic to convey your key findings. Learn more about our Graphical Abstract service.

Figures

A caption giving the figure number and a brief description must be included below each figure. The caption should be understandable without reference to the text. It is preferable to place any key to symbols used in the artwork itself, not in the caption. Ensure that any symbols and abbreviations used in the text agree with those in the artwork.

Charts

Charts (groups of structures that do not show reactions) may have a brief caption describing their contents.

Tables

Each table must have a brief (one phrase or sentence) title that describes the contents. The title should be understandable without reference to the text. Details like abbreviations, experimental conditions, etc. should be put in a table footnote, not in the title. Tables should be used when the data cannot be presented clearly in the narrative, when many numbers must be presented, or when more meaningful inter-relationships can be conveyed by the tabular format. Tables should supplement, not duplicate, information presented in the text and figures. Tables should be simple and concise.

Schemes

Each scheme (sequences of reactions) may have a brief caption describing its contents.

Chemical Structures

Chemical structures should be produced with the use of a drawing program such as ChemDraw.

Cover Art

At the time of the submission of a revised manuscript, ACS Catalysis authors are encouraged to submit images to be considered for use on the journal’s front cover or Supplementary Covers. If your article is accepted for publication, your suggestion may also be selected for use on one of the journal’s covers. If your art is selected for the front cover, ACS will send you information about how to request one complimentary 18” by 24” printed poster featuring your work. Images chosen for the front cover will be published at no cost to the author.

 

Cover image submissions should be colorful and visually engaging, with minimal text. The cover image should not resemble a graphical abstract or data figure, but rather should be an artistic and scientifically accurate representation of the manuscript.

 

Image files should be submitted as TIF, JPG, PNG or EPS files with a resolution of at least 300 dpi for pixel-based images. Images should be 8.19 in × 10.00 in. (or 20.80 cm × 25.40 cm). Please note that the journal title will cover the top 2 in. (5.08 cm) of the image. Authors should submit the cover image, along with a short and clear caption (less than 50 words) explaining the image, as supplementary files to ACS Paragon Plus with their revised manuscript.

 

If you wish to be considered only for the front cover, and not a paid supplementary cover, please respond NO accordingly to the Journal Covers question in ACS Paragon Plus. For more information on the Supplementary Covers program, please see this webpage. All art submitted for consideration for a supplementary cover will also be considered for a front cover.

Web Enhanced Objects (WEO)

The Web editions of ACS journals allow readers to view multimedia attachments such as animations and movies that complement understanding of the research being reported.

 

WEOs should be uploaded in ACS Paragon Plus with ‘Web Enhanced Object’ selected as the file designation. Consult the list of compatible WEO formats.

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