Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was founded in May, 1950, following the merger of the Institute of Chemistry of the former Central Academy of Sciences with the Institute of Chemistry and Institute of Materia Medica of the former Peking Academy of Sciences. It was formerly named the Institute of Organic Chemistry, CAS. with late ProfessorZhuang Changgong as the first director.
The Institute further merged with the organic chemistry group of Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, CAS at the end of 1952. In 1953, the department of Materia Medica branched off and merged into the present Institute of Materia Medica, CAS. Also that year a group from the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry and Physical Chemistry joined SIOC and created a research group in the physical chemistry of polymers. This group later combined with the research group of polymer science fromed the Institute of Chemistry, CAS. in Autumn, 1956.
In 1958, the Institute underwent a large expansion following a readjustment of research projects, establishment of a technical system and the setting up of a pilot plant.
In 1970, the Institute was renamed the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry (SIOC), CAS.