This review compiles various nanostructures fabricated by a distinct " dry autoclaving" approach, where the chemical reactions are carried out without solvents; above the dissociation temperature of the chemical precursor(s) at elevated temperature in a closed reactor. The diversity to fabricate carbides (SiC, Mo2C, WC), oxides (VOx-C, ZnO, Eu2O3, Fe3O4, MoO2), hexaborides (LaB6, CeB6, NdB6, SmB6, EuB6, GdB6), nitrides (TiN, NbN, TaN), phosphides (PtP2, WP), sulfi des (ZnS, FeS/C, SnS/C, WS2, WS2/C), and selenides (Zn1-xMnxSe/C, Cd1-xMnxSe/C), with various shapes and sizes is accounted with plausible applications. This unique single-step, solvent-free synthetic process opens up a new route in the growing nanomaterials science; owing to its considerable advantages on the existing approaches.