Nanocrystals of CdS were synthesized by a facile new method employing cadmium diethyldithiocarbamate in toluene and aqueous thioacetamide at temperatures between 35 and 70 degrees C. Unusually for particulates synthesized at such low temperatures, strong size-tunable band edge luminescence is observed. The diameters of the nanocrystals and the position of emission maximum could be varied by changing the reaction time and temperature. The nanocrystals were charecterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, absorption and emission spectroscopies. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.