Cadmium molybdate (CdMoO4) nanocrystals have been successfully synthesized via coprecipitation method by using Cd(Sal)(2) (Sal = salicylidene) and (NH4)(6)Mo7O24 center dot 4H(2)O as starting materials in water as solvent. Effects of temperature, reaction time, solvent, surfactant and cadmium source were investigated to reach optimum condition. It was found that particle size, morphology and phase of the final products could be greatly influenced via these parameters. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.