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It is now twenty one years since the first volume of Arkivoc, the brainchild of Professors Alan Katritzky, FRS and Charles Rees, CBE, FRS opened its pages to the organic chemical literature. Published as an on-line journal with no charges to either authors or readers, Arkivoc also sought to offer less well-endowed researchers the opportunity to publish their work without the financial constraints associated with the major journals of the day. Thus began an endeavor that, although modified in detailed composition over the years, retains these original principles and vision.

A brief history of the journal's progress is relevant here. The first six years comprised an average of eleven Commemorative issues per year combined with 30 general papers per issue. Thereafter the number of Commemorative issues was reduced to an average of three per year together with a Reviews / Accounts issue (Editor, Professor Viktor Zhdankin) and an average of 90 general papers per annum. The 2020 issue includes the new concept of a Thematic issue (Hypervalent Iodine Chemistry) plus re-institution of a Regional issue in the shape of South Africa under the highly successful guidance of Professor Willem van Otterlo (Stellenbosch University). It is intended to continue this policy in 2021 with a Thematic issue Hypervalent Iodine Chemistry and a Regional issue Hypervalent Iodine Chemistry, Pt.2, plus publication of five Commemorative issues to generate a total of 140-150 papers per year.

In 2020 Arkivoc was awarded the seal of the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) a significant step forward in recognition of the journal's excellent standards in publishing. Arkivoc is one of only two platinum open access organic chemistry journals, defined as completely free to authors and readers and with archives permanently preserved. The journal is monitored by a Control Board of some 30 members from all over the world which meets annually either at a chosen venue or at the biennial Florida Heterocyclic (FloHet) meeting in Gainesville, organized jointly by ARKAT and the University of Florida. The Control Board's business is also supported by six-monthly meetings of a Steering Committee either at a definite venue or recently by Zoom. All submitted papers pass first through a primary review committee (PRC) who determine the suitability of material for further assessment and then proceed through a rigorous refereeing process to either acceptance or rejection and from there through the Publishing Editor to the Manuscript Manager and finally to publication on-line. Thus Arkivoc pursues the highest standards in scientific publication consistent with the demands of DOAJ. All of these activities are achieved through the voluntary services of the Control Board, plus paid publishing and IT staff in Florida. The work is supported in part by some income from the Flohet Conference but largely by generous, gifted support from the ARKAT USA, Inc. a 501(c)(3) charity established by Alan and Linde Katritzky in 1999 to fund Arkivoc and organize FloHet Conferences.

We should be pleased to accept any donations, however small, to help defray publishing and IT costs and to help the Arkivoc principle of publication that is free to both authors and readers link. For US residents, donations may be tax deductible. Donations cannot be accepted from residents of Georgia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, or the District of Columbia.