The shape-controlled synthesis of PbS microcrystallites from an air-stable single-source molecular precursor (lead diethyldithiocarbamate: Pb-DDTC) under mild conditions has been achieved by two simple steps: firstly, the Pb-DDTC was prepared directly through the precipitation reaction of lead acetate and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate in distilled water at room temperature; secondly, without the use of any extra surfactant/template, pure PbS microcrystallites with irregular polyhedral, cubic, and fish bone-, star-, and flower-like morphologies could be obtained just via solvothermal decomposition of the Pb-DDTC in three different solvents (including ethanol, ethylene glycol and ethylenediamine) at 150-180 degrees C for 12 h. The as-obtained PbS microcrystallites were characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.