title: Precision synthesis of colloidal inorganic nanocrystals using metal and metalloid amides.
abstract: Rational selection of molecular precursors is the key consideration in the synthesis of inorganic nanocrystals and nanoparticles. This review highlights the state-of-the-art and future potential of metal amides as precursors in the solution-phase synthesis of monodisperse colloidal nanocrystals of metals and metal alloys, as well as metal oxides and chalcogenides. We exclusively focus on homoleptic metal and metalloid alkylamides M(NR2)n and silylamides M[N(SiMe3)2]n as predominant choice of element-nitrogen bonded precursors, which are often advantageous to commonly used metal-oxygen and metal-carbon bonded counterparts. In particular, these amides are highly reactive in oxidation, reduction and metathesis reactions; they are oxygen-free, easy-to-make and/or commercially available. A comprehensive literature review is complemented by our theoretical studies on the thermal stability of metal silylamides using molecular dynamics simulations.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Maksym
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yarema
authors.forename: Riccarda
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Maksym V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Kovalenko