We report a new method to synthesize monodisperse zinc blende HgTe nanocrystals at room temperature in noncoordinating solvent-octadecene. Thiol was needed to control the reaction at a suitable nucleation and growth speed. In the early stage of the reaction, HgTe nanocrystals formed aggregates, and then the aggregates were dispersed and individual dot-shaped nanocrystals were formed with stronger photoluminescence emitting. UV-vis, photoluminescence, and TEM have been used to study the properties of as-prepared HgTe nanocrystals. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.