Zinc complexes with multidentate Schiff base ligands are suitable precursors for ZnO in microwave -assisted transformation reactions. [Bis(acetylacetonato)ethylenediimine]zinc(II) and [bis(methylacetoacetato)ethylenediimine] (I) have been synthesized with high purity and good yield from the direct reaction of the respective diimine ligand with diethylzinc in tetrahydrofuran. The thermal decay is studied by thermogravimetry coupled with online infrared spectroscopy. The ceramization reaction in ethoxyethanol yields stable dispersions of spherical ZnO nano particles with verysmall particle sizes (around 5-6-nm), which can be employed for coating and thin-film deposition processes. Field-effect transistors '(FETs) composed of thin films fabricated from these semiconducting ZnO particles possess charge-carrier mobilities of 6.0 x 10(-3) and 5.4 X 10(-2) cm(2)/(V after processing at 350 and 450 degrees C, respectively. Electrophoretic deposition affords dense filth coatings composed of these ZnO nanoparticles with thicknesses of 30-90 nm on ITO (indium tin oxide) glas's-electrodes. The positive zeta-potentials of the, ZnO nanoparticles in these dispersions are in agreement with the,efectrocoating process at the cathode.