Nanocrystalline lead chalcogenides PbE (E = S, Se, Te) were synthesized conveniently by the reaction of Pb(CH3COO)(2).3H(2)O and elemental chalcogens in ethylenediamine (en) under ultrasonic irradiation. XRD and TEM techniques were employed to characterize the products. The solubility of chalcogen in en was found to be the key factor of the reaction. A three-step mechanism was proposed to account for the formation of the products. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.