SYNTHESIS AND USE OF IRON OLEATE

摘要

The present invention relates to a method of forming an iron oleate complex comprising the steps of: (a) dissolving an oleate in a low-order alcohol solvent at a temperature of about 35° C. to 65° C.; (b) adding a non-polar solvent to the solution of step (a); (c) adding an iron salt dissolved in a low-order alcohol to the solution of step (b); (d) agitating the solution of step (c) at a temperature of about 50° C. for at least 5 min; (e) cooling the reaction mixture of step (d) to a temperature of about 15° C. to 30° C.; (f) optionally filtering the reaction mixture of step (e); (g) separating the non-polar solvent phase from the low-order alcohol phase; (h) washing and drying the non-polar solvent phase; (i) removing volatiles from the non-polar solvent phase of step (h) by evaporation; and (j) mixing the product of step (i) with a polar solvent to yield a solid iron oleate complex. The present invention further relates to an iron oleate complex obtainable by the method of the invention, an iron oleate complex of formula I, the use of the iron oleate complex of the invention as precursor for the preparation of nanoparticles, and a method of forming iron oxide nanoparticles comprising the suspension of iron oxide/hydroxide and the iron oleate complex of the invention.