A method for microcontact embossing of a structure by transferring an embossing material onto a target surface of a substrate by means of an embossing surface of a structural die. The embossing material is comprised at least predominantly of silane or at least predominantly of at least one silane derivative and in that the structural die is a soft die. A corresponding method is provided in which the embossing material is a molecular component that is comprised at least predominantly of organic molecules.