Communication: ZnTe is an attractive material for various opto-electronic devices; however, conventional methods of preparation of nanocrystalline metal tellurides have the limitation of requiring noxious compounds, such as H2Te, or organometallic compounds. Here is reported a solvothermal syn thesis for ZnTe, using Zn and Te, with hydrazine hydrate as the solvent. The method was found to produce well-crystallized nanorods in 80-90% yield and to be strongly solvent dependent, in that the hydrazine acts not only as an electron transfer medium, but also as a strong electron donor.