Cuboid copper nanocrystals were synthesized by thermal treatment in liquid paraffin without any inert gas protection with salicylaldehyde Schiff base copper (II) (Cu (II)-Salen) complex as precursor. Liquid paraffin was used as solvent and reductant. The obtained copper nanocrystals are morphology-controlled and stable when exposed to air for one year. The nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction measurements (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results showed that the stable cuboid copper nanocrystals are synthesized by using Salen as capping agents. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.