A prime example of how biomaterials can inspire their fabricated counterparts is the case of catechol-based materials. Catechols are aromatic derivatives with two adjacent (ortho-) hydroxyl groups; they are ubiquitous in nature, taking part in a remarkable range of processes and functions. This functional versatility can be explained considering that catechols can act as weak acids and, simultaneously, as easily oxidizable reducing agents. In addition, the presence of two hydroxyl groups in vicinal positions in the aromatic ring makes them ideal for bidentate coordination and intermolecular interactions.Intense research has been aimed at mimicking the natural roles of catechols by developing new functional materials. This chapter will focus on past and recent studies involving the design, development, and biomimetic use of synthetic molecules and materials with catechols present in their structure, mainly in the fields of biomedicine, analytical, nanotechnology, and materials science, and showing the potential of this chemical functionality to afford promising candidate structures for technologically relevant applications.This chapter is structured considering the main functional roles of the catechol moiety in the molecules and materials fabricated, either as individual molecules or as part of a polymeric backbone. Thus, the three first sections are devoted to cases where catechols act as linkers between: macroscopic surfaces, acting as adhesives (Section 11.2); macroscopic surfaces and functional molecules (Section 11.3); and outer parts of micro-or nanoscopic structures and functional molecules (Section 11.4). Section 11.5 is focused in the role of catechols as constituent blocks of functional 2D or 3D scaffolds and structures. Next, the chelating properties of catechols and their function for metal sequestration are addressed in Section 11.6. Finally, the two last sections are centered on their presence in different sensors (Section 11.7) and electronic devices (Section 11.8), owing to the redox features of the catechol/quinone system.