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During the formation of a star, the gas undergoes important chemical changes. In the pre-stellar phase, the gas and dust temperature are low, and heavy molecules are frozen on the grain surfaces. This phase is also characterized by an important fractionation of deuterium. As the collapse starts, compressional heating and/or the action of outflows cause the evaporation of molecules from the grain surfaces, and a blossom of complex organic molecules follows. In this contribution, I will review the recent advances in our understanding of the chemical evolution during the early stage of star formation, both from an observational and theoretical point of view. I will focus on prestellar cores and Class 0 protostars. Particular emphasis will be put on the perspectives that will be open in that field by the Herschel and ALMA instruments.
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