Metal sulfides MS (M = Cd, Zn, Co, Pb, CU), M2S3 (M = Bi, Sb), M2S (M = Ag) were successfully synthesized through a one-step reaction between metal salts and thiourea in ethylene glycol (EG) under the microwave irradiation. The products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and electron diffraction (ED). (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.