Here we report a facile one-pot synthetic method for organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) particles having multiple functional groups and demonstrate the homogeneous distribution of functional groups in ORMOSIL particles by chemical reactions of each surface functional group with fluorescent dyes such as fluroescamine and rhodamine B isothiocyanate. Dye-tagged ORMOSIL particles having tri-functional groups are exhibited two fluorescent emission peaks at 475 (blue) and 570 nm (red), indicating the positions of functional groups. The surface reaction of these functionalized ORMOSIL particles with various organic or inorganic materials not only endowed additional functionalities and physical properties, but also produced metallic hybrid composite particles. Chemical and physical properties of functionalized ORMOSIL particles were characterized by FT-IR, solid state C-13 and Si-29 NMR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.