  We have carried out a molecular line survey of the candidate massive
protostar IRAS 23385+6053, covering a 27.2 GHz frequency range in the 330--360
GHz atmospheric window. We detected 27 lines originating from a total of 11
species.Over a third of the identified molecular lines are from the asymmetric
top molecule methanol (CH$_{3}$OH). We did not detect any emission from
high-excitation lines or typical hot core tracers (e.g. CH$_{3}$CN,
HCOOCH$_{3}$). We derive a rotation temperature and column density from the
methanol emission and estimate lower limits to the beam-averaged column density
of the remaining lines. Upper limits to the beam-averaged column density of
selected species were determined from the non-detection of their rotation
lines. We rule out the presence of a hot molecular core associated with IRAS
23385+6053 by a combination of the non-detection of CH$_{3}$CN emission and a
simple bolometric luminosity approach. The molecular inventory and chemistry of
IRAS 23385+6053 are contrasted to that of more evolved massive star-forming
regions and the abundances predicted by recent time-dependent chemical models.
The physical and chemical nature of IRAS 23385+6053 is shown to be consistent
with that immediately prior to the hot molecular core stage.
