In 2016, ICCAS celabreated its 60th anniverasary. CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Science was established.

In 2015, ICCAS set up "The Center of Green Printing Plate-making" in Beijing.

In 2013, a distinguished international panel of 12 members made the “One-Three-Five” Expert Diagnosis Assessment with regard to our recent scientific achievements, research personnel and management. The panel believed that our institute is in the leading domestic position in all aspects and is definitely on the way to world class status.

In 2007 the ICCAS's “An Electrochemical STM Study of Controlling Molecular Assembly at Solid/Liquid Interface” and “New Molecular Materials with Opto-electronic Properties and Relative Devices” won second prize of National Natural Science Awards.

In 2006 the ICCAS's "GenerationStructure and Reaction of the Transient Species in Atmospheric Pollution" won second prize of National Natural Science Awards.

In 2005 the ICCAS’s “Fabrication of Binary Cooperative Nano-scale Interfacial Materials and Their Super-hydrophobic/super-hydrophilic Properties” and “Photocatalytic Degradation of Persistent and Toxic Organic Pollutants” won second prize of National Natural Science Awards.

In 2004 the ICCAS’s "Fundamental Study and Applied Exploration of Some Novel Photo-functional Materials" won second prize of National Natural Science Awards.

In 2002, the CMS Central Building was completed and put to use covering an area of 16086 square meters. The ICCAS's "Fundamental chemistry and physics of C60" and "Polymer Stabilized Nano-metallic Clusters and Catalysis" won second prize of National Natural Science Awards. The ICCAS successfully engaged Professor Han Zhichao (Charles C. Han) a distinguished polymer chemist.

In 2001, the ICCAS entered into the second period of innovation striving to develop itself into one of the world’s fist-class institutes in chemistry.

In 2000, the Forum of Molecular Science hold the first seminar.

In April 1999, chaired by the ICCAS one of the trial-units in the first round of the CAS’s Knowledge Innovation Project and united with the related laboratories of the Institute of Photographic Chemistry the Center for Molecular Sciences (CMS) was established.

In 1996 the ICCAS was appointed as a trial-unit which could confer doctor’s degree to students majoring in chemistry an A discipline.

In 1995 the ICCAS’s “Research on Conductive Polypyrrole” won second prize of National Natural Science Award.

From July 1994 to February 1998 the ICCAS was appointed as one of the State Science and Technology Commission’s and the CAS’s five trial-units to carry out the reform in basic research. During that period of time the ICCAS has defined its scientific research goals and has basically accomplished the reform on its system and structure.

On January 8 1992, President Jiang Zemin Alternate member of the Secretariat of the CPC Committee Wen Jiabao and other government officials inspected the ICCAS.

In 1990 the "Reform Plan of the ICCAS in the 1990s" was drawn up. ICCAS Researches successfully constructed the China’s first scanning tunnel microscope winning second prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award (the ICCAS ranked second).

In 1989 the ICCAS's "Development Industrial Production and Application of Polypropylene Resin at the Polypropylene Fiber Level" won first prize of National Science and Technology Progress Award.

In 1988 the ICCAS's "Research on Organometallic Conductors" won second prize of National Natural Science Award.

In 1985, Pioneer No.1 retrievable satellite and Red Orient (Dongfanghong) Satellite (cooperative) Liquid Ground-to-Ground Strategic Arms and Carrier Rocket (cooperative) respectively won top-grade National Science and Technology Progress Awards.　

In 1983 an industrial testing center was founded in Changping.

In 1982, the ICCAS's "Quantitative Relationship Between Molecular Structures and Properties" won second prize of the National Natural Science Award.

In 1980 the ICCAS's "Lowering the Spinning Temperature of Polypropylene Fiber with Organic Peroxides to Control the Degradation Process" won third prize of National Invention Award.

In 1977, the ICCAS mapped out its chemistry programs according to the national outline of basic science program.

In 1975, the Institute of Photographic Chemistry was established in which the researchers were mainly from the organic chemistry division at ICCAS. The Institute of Environmental Chemistry (the present Center for Ecological Environment Science) was established in which the researchers were mainly from the analytical chemistry division at ICCAS.

In 1974, the concept of "organic solid" was proposed by Mr. Ren-Yuan Qian. In 1977 a laboratory focusing on this research was set up.

In 1960, the ICCAS in collaboration with the Institute of Dynamics and the Institute of Automation set up a joint research base (in Huairou) where research work was concentrated on the development of materials used in rocketry. In February 1968 the ICCAS was affiliated to the 16th Institute Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense. In 1971 it returned to the CAS.

In 1959, ICCAS researchers synthesized the China’s first fluorubber winning the National Invention Award in 1966. In 1963 the research in organic fluorine at ICCAS was transferred and integrated into that at Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry.

In 1956, Zeng Zhaolun was appointed by the State Council as director and Liu Dagang deputy director. At that time there were about 110 researchers who came from Beiping (Peking) Academy Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry Peking University (part-time) Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry and the Department of Pharmaceutics Peking Academy of Medical Science. In December 1957 the preparatory committee was dissolved.

In December 1953, a preparatory committee was set up for the establishment of the ICCAS. At the end of 1955 it was approved by the standing committee of the CAS.