The Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC) was established by the Act of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences on February 23, 1934. The list of IOC Directors opens with the name of Academician A. E. Favorsky (1934–1939) succeeded by Academicians A. N. Nesmeyanov (1939–1954), B. A. Kazansky (1954–1966) and N. K. Kochetkov (1966–1988). Presently the Institute is headed by Academician V. A. Tartakovsky.

In 1953 the Institute was named after Academician N. D. Zelinsky who had headed one of the departments in 1936–1953 and greatly contributed to the development of the Institute.

• N. D. Zelinskii Institute of Organic Chemistry of the USSR Academy of Sciences