Preparation of magnetite nanocrystals with surface reactive moieties by one-pot reaction.

By one-pot reaction, biocompatible magnetite nanocrystals with surface reactive moieties were prepared through the thermal decomposition of Fe(acac)(3) in 2-pyrrolidone using alpha,omega-dicarboxyl-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) as surface capping molecule. The successful conjugation between the magnetite nanocrystals and 9-amino acridine on the one hand demonstrates the existence of free carboxylic groups from PEG binding on the particle surface, on the other hand may also lead to a new type of magneto-optical materials as well as magneto-drugs.