The "benzyl alcohol route'': an elegant approach towards organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials

Hybrid organic-inorganic nanocomposites are functional materials offering various possibilities in terms of tailoring the chemical and physical properties. In fact, they are determined by both organic and inorganic phases as well by their interface. This Highlight article demonstrates that the '' benzyl alcohol route '' is not only suitable for the formation of highly crystalline nanoparticles but also for hybrid materials. It describes a new one-pot approach leading to ordered hybrid materials composed of metal oxide nanobuilding blocks with at least one dimension in the sub-nanometer regime. Rare-earth hybrid materials, synthesized following this route, show new and interesting optical properties which are strongly influenced by the peculiar organic-inorganic nanostructure.