The fabrication of well-ordered nanoporous graphitic carbon nitride by condensation of cyanamide (CN-NH2) as a molecular precursor using a colloidal silica crystalline array as a template is described. The resulting sample exhibited a three-dimensionally extended highly ordered pore array as shown by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen isotherms. The carbon nitride structure revealed high graphitic nature with C3N4 stoichiometry. In particular, the C3N4 network structure consists of tri-s-triazine rings (C6N7) cross-linked by trigonal N atoms. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.