Process for producing nanoparticles

A process for the preparation of surface-functionalised metal oxide or metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the process consisting of:

• (a) providing a precursor mixture in a hydrocarbon solvent comprising a first organometallic precursor comprising a metal centre M and one or more hydrolysable organic ligands Ra, and a source of a non-hydrolysable ligand X, wherein the molar loading, [X]/[M], within the precursor mixture is from 0.001 to 0.4;
• wherein:
• each Ra is independently selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted aliphatic groups, aryl, aralkyl, amido, alkoxide, aryloxide, and thiolate;
• each X is independently a ligand comprising a moiety selected from the group consisting of a carboxylate, a thio-carboxylate, a dithiocarboxylate, a sulphate, a sulfonate, a sulphinate, a phosphonate, a phosphinate, a halide, an amide, a carbonate, a dithiocarbonate, an amine, and a nitrate;
• and
• M is selected from the group consisting of Zn, Al, Ti, Sn, Mg, Ca, Ga, Y, Sc, Zr, Ge, In, and lanthanides, or a mixture thereof;
• and
• (b) exposing the precursor mixture to H2E, wherein E is O, S, Se or Te, to produce surface-functionalised metal oxide or metal chalcogenide nanoparticles in solution.