[en] Three of the most commonly used precursor chemicals for wet-chemical nano-ceria synthesis are examined by means of direct dry electron irradiation in TEM. Transformation reactions of micron-size carbonate, chloride, and nitrate grains into nanocrystallites (internal or external) are recorded in situ. Progress of possible redox-changes of cerium is tracked by EELS. We find a straight local oxidation reaction for carbonates, but external nanorod formation by condensation in the case of chlorides, while nitrates show a multi-stage complex redox behaviour. (paper)