Nanocrystal Synthesis with Alkoxy Ligands and Solvents

Applications of colloidal nanocrystals in polar solvents often require nanocrystals synthesized in nonpolar solvents. However, solvent transfer processes are problematic and deteriorate nanocrystal quality. Here we report syntheses of nanocrystals with nearly universal solvent dispersibility using ligands and solvents with alkoxy repeating units. Core syntheses shell deposition, and cation exchange proceed similarly to traditional methods while products are more stable in aqueous solution than those generated by solvent transfer. (CdSe)CdZnS nanocrystals retain photoluminescence in cells for single-particle tracking experiments and outperform other nanocrystal classes in diffusion metrics reflecting stability and nonspecific binding. Distinct reaction classes yield nanocrystals with either methoxy or hydroxy ligand terminations, both of which can be purified by aqueous methods that are greener than traditional methods. These reactions can further generate nanocrystals with diverse compositions (oxides, sulfides, and selenides), shapes, and spectral bands with wide dispersibility that may make applications in polar solvents more widely accessible.