A Novel "Chemical Scissors" Route to Nanocrystallites

A new strategy, called "chemical scissors" route, utilizing nucleophilic attack to cut the undesired parts off a single-source precursor is proposed, which can significantly reduce the reaction temperature in comparison with simple pyrolysis. As examples, reactions of metal diethyldithiocarbamate (M=Pb, Hg, Cu, Mn, Ag) (acting as the single-source precursor) in ethylenediamine (acting as the scissors and solvent) at 10-100 °C result in nanocrystalline MS (M=Pb, Hg, Mn), Ag2S and Cu S.