Thin films of PS-b-PEO block copolymers were utilized as structured reservoirs for localized nanoscale precipitation reactions. By consecutively immersing the film into solutions of thioacetamide and cadmium chloride, we were able to obtain a monolayer of cadmium sulfide nanostructures on top of the block copolymer film. AFM and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering revealed spherical nanostructures (d = 15 nm) corresponding to the dimensions given by the block copolymer film. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1569-1573, 2010