Host–guest driven ligand replacement on monodisperse inorganic nanoparticles

Abstract

We demonstrate that crown ether-assisted ligand replacement on Fe₃O₄ NPs using halide salts leads to quantitative stripping of an existing stabilizer shell with unprecedented (complete) efficiency; this allows subsequent re-grafting of functional ligands at maximal surface density. The mechanism of the anion-driven ligand replacement is elucidated by varying the halide salt and the versatility by varying the re-grafted ligand.