We assume that some, but not all, of the structure observed in molecular clouds is associated with transient features which are not bound by self-gravity. We investigate the chemistry of a transient density fluctuation, with properties similar to those of a core within a molecular cloud. We run a multipoint chemical code through a core's condensation from a diffuse medium to its eventual dispersion, over a period of ∼1 Myr. The dynamical description adopted for our study is based on an understanding of a particular mechanism, involving slow-mode wave excitation, for transient structure formation which so far has been studied in detail only with plane-parallel models in which self-gravity has not been included. We find a significant enhancement of the chemical composition of the core material on its return to diffuse conditions, whilst the expansion of the core as it disperses moves this material out to large distances from the core centre. This process transports molecular species formed in the high-density regions out into the diffuse medium. Chemical enrichment of the cloud as a whole also occurs, as other cores of various sizes, life-spans and separations evolve throughout. Enrichment is strongly affected by freeze-out on to dust grains, which takes place in high-density, high visual extinction regions. As the core disperses after reaching its peak density and the visual extinction drops below a critical value, grain mantles are evaporated back into the gas phase, initiating more chemistry. The influence of the sizes, masses and cycle periods of cores will be large both for the level of chemical enrichment of a dark cloud and ultimately for the low-mass star formation rate. The cores in which stars form are almost certainly bound by their self-gravity and are not transient in the sense that the cores on which most of our study is focused are transient. Obviously, enrichment of the chemistry of low-density material will not take place if self-gravity prevents the re-expansion of a core. We also consider the case of a self-gravitating core, by holding its peak density conditions for a further 0.4 Myr. We find that the differences near the peak densities between transient and gravitationally bound cores are generally small, and the resultant column densities for objects near the peak densities do not provide definitive criteria for discriminating between transient and bound cores. However, increases in fractional abundances due to reinjection of mantle-borne species may provide a criterion for detection of a non-bound core
