Metal alkoxide and -diketonate complexes are broadly recognized as versatile precursors of high-purity glass and ceramic materials in the sol-gel technology. By applying reactants containing various metal atoms in the proper ratio and assuring their conservation through sol-gel treatment, single-source precursors (SSP) provide an efficient approach to complex materials. Simple and cost-efficient routes to SSP can be developed by applying the concept of geometrical molecular structure design, which is based on the choice of a type proper of molecular structure and its completion with ligands, providing the necessary number of donor atoms for the chosen core as well as sterical protection.
