Abstract
We here report the large scale synthesis of porous magnetic composites that consist of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanorods coated with a porous silica shell. Essentially, the methodology combines a modified carbonate route with a layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly method and the controlled hydrolysis of alkoxides in the presence of porogens. By using this approach, we have prepared magnetic composites with a BET specific area as high as 500 m(2)g(-1) and a magnetic moment high enough as to collect easily nanoparticles with a commercial magnet. This catalyst design appears particularly suited for liquid-phase reactions.