The International Chemical Identifier (InChI), the standard for naming chemical compounds, is evolving. Originally designed to identify small molecules, InChI can now also handle organometallics, polymers, and nanomaterials, making it more useful for a wider range of chemists.
Also the way InChI is managed is changing. Instead of relying only on membership fees, the new hybrid model allows companies, researchers, and developers to contribute financially or through expertise, ensuring continuous updates. With the latest version (1.07) now on GitHub, InChI is more open, flexible, and community-driven.
Behind this transformation are Gerd Blanke (InChI Trust) and Pieder Caduff (Elsevier), who have worked for years to make InChI more scalable and adaptable. Their goal is to create a FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) system that makes chemical data easier to use across research and industry. Everyone is invited to join in, because with more contributors, faster updates and broader applications, InChI is set to play an even bigger role in the future of chemistry.
- Chemists unite! InChI is now built for collaboration — and scale,
Ann-Marie Roche,
Elsevier Connect November 21, 2024.
(accessed March 3, 2025)
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News: Fit For Future: InChI Standard Moves to GitHub
Enhances transparency, collaboration, and reliability, supports future expansions, and promotes broader adoption of the International Chemical Identifier for linking chemical information across web sources
