High-quality CdE (E = Te, TexSe1-xSe) nanocrystals were synthesized at relatively low temperatures (180 -200 degrees C) by the utilization of one-pot method without the use of pyrophoric reagents and alkylamines. Te dispersed in trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) and Se dissolved in paraffin oil were used as the chalcogen precursors, in which the use of any air-sensitive, toxic, and expensive starting materials such as trioctylphosphine (TOP) and tributylphosphine (TBP) was eliminated. Structural and optical characterizations demonstrated that high quality CdE nanocrystals were synthesized. The total synthesis cost can be saved as much as 60% when comparing with the widely used traditional TOP/TBP related methods. Also this is the first time to synthesize CdTe and CdTexSe1-x nanocrystals with one-pot method without TOP/TBP. More importantly, large scale synthesis of about 2-3 g of high quality CdE nanocrystal in one reaction was successfully conducted using this method, which is very attractive for the industrial applications of semiconductor nanocrystals. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.