An unusual small molecule, dithiooxamide is used to produce nanostructured carbon via direct pyrolysis. The carbon shows a unique 2D-layer assembled structure and is in situ dual-heteroatom (N and S)-doped, meanwhile having relatively high surface area. These carbon materials can be further decorated with inorganic parts via a precomplexing approach. The functionalized carbon and the hybrid nano materials demonstrate remarkable performance for lithium-ion storage.