A general fabricating protocol for the preparation of core-shell magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for chlorinated phenols recognition is described. In this protocol, Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were first prepared using the chemical co-precipitation method. Then, the obtained magnetic nanoparticles were coated with a silica shell through modified Stober method. Finally, MIP films were coated onto the surface of silica-modified magnetic nanoparticles by surface molecular imprinting technique. The resultant polymers showed a high saturation magnetization value (31.350 emu g(-1)), and short response time (30 s). Meanwhile, the as-synthesized magnetic MIPs showed an excellent recognition and selection properties toward imprinted molecule over structurally related compounds. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.