Zinc sulfide is an important electro-optic material that is useful as an infrared window and, when doped, as a phosphor or as the basis for an LED. This paper presents a solution-based method for preparing the material through sol-gel processing. Ethanedithiol and zinc chloride were mixed and the resulting sol was heated in a three-step process, producing crystalline wurtzite. Analysis of the sol and its decomposition indicates the following reaction mechanism : nZnCl(2)+HSCH2CH2SH-->-(ZnSCH2CH2S)(n)-+2nHCl up arrow.