EXAFS investigation of mixed zirconium-titanium alkoxides

The structures of zirconium alkoxides Zr(OR)(4), with R=n-propoxide and n-butoxide, and of the corresponding mixed zirconium-titanium alkoxides, used as precursors in the sol-gel process, were investigated by EXAFS spectroscopy at the Zr K-edge in solution of their parent alcohols. In all investigated systems the Zr-atoms are surrounded by six O-atoms. Additionally, a Zr-Zr distance was found in the pure zirconium alkoxides, indicating the existence of dimers or oligomers, In the mixture of zirconium-and titanium alkoxides the hetero-association is preferred, since a Zr-Ti distance could he detected.