This Letter reports a new method (refluxed) along with the conventional sonication method for preparation of nanoparticles of well-known electron acceptor 9-cyanoanthracene (9CNA). The photophysical properties of the nanostructured 9CNA, prepared from both the methods were investigated by steady-state and time resolved spectroscopic techniques. Nanoclusters, made from the refluxed method, are mostly one-dimensional wire-like structure whereas in the sonication method formations of both one and three-dimensional nanocluster of 9CNA were confirmed from TEM investigation. Irradiation of both the 9CNA nano dispersions results in formations of both the delocalized pi-electronic (polaron--exciton) and the locally excited states. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.