CQE, as funded in 1975, was organized in 5 research groups:
Prof. António Xavier left CQE to found ITQB-Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica in 1986 (now called Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier). By the year 2000, CQE undergoes a first reorganization into six groups:
CQE evaluation, 1999.
In 2007/2008, Group 7 - Organic & Bio-Organic Chemistry is founded, also including former members of the Centros de Processos Químicos (an UTL research center):
In 2015 the FCT-funded R&D units were evaluated and, in agreement with a paradigm change in the evaluation rules, CQE was re-organized into 4 thematic lines and 10 research groups, and each research group is part of a specific thematic line. With this reorganisation, CQE included 3 research groups from other IST research centres and 3 research groups from FCUL, as listed below.
Thematic Line 1 - Synthesis & Catalysis (Coordinator: Armando Pombeiro)
Thematic Line 2 - Biological, Medicinal & Environmental Chemistry (Coordinator: Matilde Marques)
Thematic Line 3 - Materials Chemistry & Photoactive Processes (Coordinator: Rui Almeida)
Thematic Line 4 - Thermodynamics of Fluids & Nanosystems (Coordinator: Carlos Castro)
CQE Thematic Lines and Research Groups for the 2015-2019 period.