POLYMER COATED METAL PARTICLES AND USES RELATED THERETO
Disclosed herein are polymer ligands used to synthesize metal particles such as colloidal gold nanocrystals. In certain embodiments, the metal particles are protected by an inner coordinating layer and an outer polymer layer and are broadly soluble in water and polar solvents. In other embodiments, the particles can further shed their outer polymer layer and become soluble in nonpolar organic solvents. In certain embodiments, the polymer coatings are permeable to organic molecules.