Abstract: The key feature of enzymic catalysis is recognition of the transition state, Synthesis of designed systems rarely leads to successful catalysts as the rules for conformation and intermolecular interactions are too imperfectly understood, This review describes several current 'selection' approaches to the generation of systems that can recognise transition. state analogues, Examples covered include catalytic antibodies, ribozymes, imprinted polymers, combinatorial chemistry, and thermodynamic templating. All have the potential to yield effective catalysts without prior design of every detail