Abstract: Embodiments relate to methods of metal oxide nanocrystals preparation. In embodiments, a metal-organic precursor may be economically synthesized by reacting a metal with an organic acid. The organic acid may include an aliphatic chain longer than three carbon atoms. The metal may be In, Sn, Al, Ga, Zn, Cd, Sb, Bi, Ge, Mn, Ti, Nb, V, Cr, Mo, Fe, Y, Mg, Co, as well as mixtures thereof. Further processing of the metal-organic precursor (e.g. by pyrolysis, hydrolysis, or alcoholysis) produces metal oxide nanocrystals of desired characteristics. An metal-organic precursor of indium tin oxide (ITO) may be synthesized by reacting indium metal and tin metal with an organic acid having an aliphatic chain longer than three carbon atoms (e.g. stearic acid) at a temperature above 200° C. Further processing of the resulting metal-organic precursor yields ITO nanocrystals of regular shape, uniform size, and average diameter ranging of between about 1-500 nm.