The Oxford Chemistry Department incorporates one of the UK's premier academic centres for research in all aspects of Organic Chemistry. From 2004, this is housed within the Chemistry Research Laboratory (CRL) situated in the heart of Oxford's Science Area, with easy access to libraries, colleges and the city centre. This new environment, shared with many other research groups from the Chemistry faculty, will create increasing opportunities and resources for interdisciplinary research at the boundaries with both Biology and Materials, expected to be prolific growth areas for Organic Chemistry.

The former home of Organic Chemistry in Oxford, the Dyson Perrins Laboratory, now houses the undergraduate organic teaching laboratories. In recognition of over 80 years of outstanding contribution to Organic Chemistry in the UK, the Dyson Perrins Laboratory was featured in a special issue of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry in 2003, its final year as a research laboratory.

The resources available to Organic Chemists are fitting for a laboratory of international stature. Particular emphasis is placed on NMR Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry, where the diverse facilities available to researchers are world class. In addition there is a shared Chemistry resource in X-ray crystallography, permitting rapid and easy acquisition of structural data, with all these essential services being coveniently housed in the new laboratory. At both the laboratory and University level the library facilities are excellent, with increasing emphasis on electronic access to journals and databases. The location of the journals and books for the Organic Laboratory Library is available online.

An intensive seminar programme regularly attracts eminent organic chemists to present their work in Oxford.

At present there are seventeen members of academic staff with a wide variety of research interests. Research workers fall into three categories - about 60 postdoctoral researchers, 80 postgraduate (D. Phil) students, and 50 fourth-year (Part II, M. Chem.) undergraduate students. Postdoctoral researchers are normally in Oxford on contracts of 1-3 years and are funded either by a UK Research Council, or from national, European Union or other international sources. Postgraduates are recruited worldwide, which enhances the cosmopolitan feel of the laboratory.