Iron nanoparticles in isopropyl alcohol: Preparation and properties

•Zerovalent iron nanoparticles were prepared by photochemical reduction of iron(III) in isopropyl alcohol.•The metal particles have spherical shape, a size of (2.9 ± 0.5) nm, and narrow size distribution.•The spectrum of iron sol in i-PrOH is characterized by the absorption smoothly increasing in the short-wave region. Zerovalent iron nanoparticles were prepared by photochemical reduction of iron(III) in isopropyl alcohol. The process occurs in steps via formation of iron(II) and its subsequent reduction to iron(0). The metal particles have spherical shape, a size of (2.9 ± 0.5) nm, and narrow size distribution. The colloidal iron solution is characterized by the absorption smoothly increasing in the short-wave region without maximum up to 220 nm (ε280 = (3.71 ± 0.30)·103 L·mol−1∙cm−1 and ε320 = (2.42 ± 0.26)·103 L·mol−1∙cm−1).