A chemical template controls a reaction in such a way that from a multitude of possible products a specific one is preferentially or even exclusively formed. The template can influence the reaction in a stoichiometric or a catalytic way, it can be reused or remain in the product as an integral part. Remarkable breakthroughs in synthetic, spectroscopic and microscopic as well as theoretical methods facilitate a closer investigation and more detailed understanding of template effects in all areas of chemistry. It will also lead to the identification of new template effects and new methodologies for the adaptation of existing binding motifs into functional chemical matrices. The articles in this Thematic Series represent a snapshot of the current activities in template-directed reactions. This selection from a broad variety of different fields of chemistry will hopefully be inspiring for the reader, thus leading to new exciting discoveries in template chemistry and attract new audience to this field.

See also the Thematic Series:
Superstructures with cyclodextrins: Chemistry and applications IV
Supramolecular chemistry at the interface of biology, materials and medicine