IChO Problems and Solutions

First held in 1968 in Czechoslovakia, between three countries: four theory tasks, no experiment and no medals. It now runs a theoretical and a practical exam, and every host publishes a preparatory problem booklet months in advance.

2026

Uzbekistan

Theory9 problems
Practical3 problems

2025

United Arab Emirates

Theory9 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Isocaryophyllene, clovene, and humulenenot published
  • 2Rapamycin - A molecular gluenot published
  • 3Lanterns and the Burj Khalifanot published
  • 4The life of tennis ballsnot published
  • 5Solar-powered multi-stage flash desalinationnot published
  • 6Solar energy conversion by CO2 reductionnot published
  • 7Dubai crude oilnot published
  • 8Carbon monoxide: Deadly poison or promising therapeutic agent?not published
  • 9Enzymes and cofactorsnot published
Practical3 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 10A complex problemnot published
  • 11Exploring the AminOasisnot published
  • 12Rf you ready to spot the answers?not published

2024

Saudi Arabia

Theory9 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Ammonianot published
  • 2Electronic nosenot published
  • 3Tyrosinasenot published
  • 4Potassiumnot published
  • 5Unknownnot published
  • 6Penicillinnot published
  • 7Sabicnot published
  • 8Safflowernot published
  • 9Porphyrin complexesnot published
Practical2 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 10Indicatorsnot published
  • 11Titration on a balancenot published

2023

Switzerland

Theory10 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Molecular Imagingnot published
  • 2Electrochemical CO2 Reductionnot published
  • 3Artificial Photosynthesisnot published
  • 4Fluorinated and Hypervalent Compoundsnot published
  • 5Hydrodesulfurizationnot published
  • 6Direct Conversion of Methane to Methanolnot published
  • 7Enzyme Kineticsnot published
  • 8Nazarov Reactionnot published
  • 9Electrolysis in Organic Synthesisnot published
  • 10Switzerland - The Country of Pharmaceuticalsnot published
Practical3 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 11Organic Synthesis: Bleach, a Chameleonic Reagentnot published
  • 12Titration Tangonot published
  • 13Beauty in Simplicitynot published

2022

China

Theory9 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Rapid and Visual Nucleic Acid Testing for COVID-19not published
  • 2Chromium in Ancient and Modern Timesnot published
  • 3Capture and Transformation of Carbon Dioxidenot published
  • 4A New Journey for Ancient Sulfurnot published
  • 5Interconversion among Nitrogen Oxidesnot published
  • 6Enabling Phosphinesnot published
  • 7Organic Molecules in Lifenot published
  • 8Amazing Chiral Spiro Catalystnot published
  • 9Total Synthesis of Capitulactonenot published

2021

Japan

Theory9 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Hydrogen at a Metal Surfacenot published
  • 2Isotope Time Capsulenot published
  • 3Lambert-Beer Law?not published
  • 4The Redox Chemistry of Zincnot published
  • 5Mysterious Siliconnot published
  • 6The Solid-State Chemistry of Transition Metalsnot published
  • 7Playing with Non-benzenoid Aromaticitynot published
  • 8Dynamic Organic Molecules and Their Chiralitynot published
  • 9Likes and Dislikes of Capsulenot published

2020

Turkey

Theory9 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Two Beauties of Turkey: The Van Cat and the Ankara Catnot published
  • 2A Tale of a Reactive Intermediatenot published
  • 3(±)-Coerulescinenot published
  • 4Symmetry Does Matter!not published
  • 5Konya, Carrot, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin-A, Immune System, Visionnot published
  • 6Thermodynamics through an Interstellar Journeynot published
  • 7Phthalocyaninesnot published
  • 8Boron Compounds and Hydrogen Storagenot published
  • 9Quantification of Heavy Metal Ionsnot published

2019

France

Theory9 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Infinite well and butadienenot published
  • 2Hydrogen production by water-splittingnot published
  • 3About silver chloridenot published
  • 4From black powder to the discovery of iodinenot published
  • 5Complexes for the formation of nanomachinesnot published
  • 6Characterization of a block-copolymernot published
  • 7Ring motion in a [2]catenanenot published
  • 8Identification and synthesis of inositolsnot published
  • 9Synthesis of levobupivacainenot published
Practical3 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 10Greening the oxidation of nitrobenzaldehydenot published
  • 11The iron age of winenot published
  • 12Wine for keepingnot published

2018

Slovakia & Czech Republic

Theory8 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1DNAnot published
  • 2Repatriation of remains in the middle agesnot published
  • 3Emerging electro-mobilitynot published
  • 4Column chromatography of radioactive coppernot published
  • 5Bohemian garnetnot published
  • 6Let’s go mushroomingnot published
  • 7Cidofovirnot published
  • 8Caryophyllenenot published
Practical3 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 9Haloform reaction with bleachnot published
  • 10A glowing clock reactionnot published
  • 11Mineral water identificationnot published

2017

Thailand

Theory11 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Production of propene using heterogeneous catalystsnot published
  • 2Kinetic isotope effect (KIE) and zero-point vibrational energy (ZPE)not published
  • 3Thermodynamics of chemical reactionsnot published
  • 4Electrochemistrynot published
  • 5Phosphate and silicate in soilnot published
  • 6Ironnot published
  • 7Chemical Structure Puzzlesnot published
  • 8Silica Surfacenot published
  • 9Into the Unknownnot published
  • 10Total Synthesis of Alkaloidsnot published
  • 11Twist & Chiralitynot published
Practical3 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 12Acid-base indicator and its application for pH measurementnot published
  • 13Calcium iodatenot published
  • 14Elaborating Carbon Frameworknot published

2016

Georgia

Theory8 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 1Problem 1not published
  • 2Problem 2not published
  • 3Problem 3not published
  • 4Problem 4not published
  • 5Problem 5not published
  • 6Problem 6not published
  • 7Problem 7not published
  • 8Problem 8not published
Practical3 problemsProblemsSolutions
  • 10Determination of fluoride and chloride content in mineral waternot published
  • 11Identifying flavors and fragrancesnot published

2015

Azerbaijan

Theory8 problemsProblems
  • 1New and well-forgotten old refrigerantsnot published
  • 2Coupling of chemical reactionsnot published
  • 3Two binding centers – competition or cooperation?not published
  • 4From one yellow powder to another: A simple inorganic riddlenot published
  • 5Indispensable glucosenot published
  • 6Bread is the stuff of lifenot published
  • 7Not by bread alonenot published
  • 8Oil for Life and Life after Oilnot published
Practical3 problemsProblems
  • 9Tuning bromination selectivity by catalysisnot published
  • 10Analysis of the solution of a chromium – vanadium alloynot published
  • 11Kinetic determination of Diclofenac (DCF)not published