HAuCl4 was reduced by ethylene glycol, in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) under microwave (MW) heating in a continuous wave (CW) mode for 2 min. Dominant products were polygonal nanoplates and close-to-spherical nanoparticles of gold. In addition, small amounts of single crystalline gold nanorods and nanowires (0.5-3% of total number of products) with diameters of 20-100 nm and lengths of 0.6-5 mum were produced. The diameter and length of gold nanorods and nanowires could be controlled by changing the HAuCl4.4H(2)O/PVP ratio. The formation mechanism of anisotropic gold nanostructures was discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.