The synthesis of bimetallic alkoxides has been followed by the prepara
tion of intriguingly stable heterometal alkoxides containing three. or
four different metal atoms in the same molecular species, which has l
ed to the possibility of molecularly designing a single source precurs
or suited to-the composition of the targeted final ceramic, This has b
een made feasible by the extraordinary stability-of the framework of h
eterometal alkoxides, which appears tb remain intact during the initia
l hydrolysis reactions in the S-G process. The characterisation (by so
phisticated physicochemical techniques including X-Ray crystal structu
re elucidation in some cases) of heterometal alkoxides appears to have
added a new dimension to heterometal coordination systems which appea
r to be uniquely stable without the presence of metal-metal bonds or a
uxiliary ligands like CO, etc., enerally required for stabilising poly
metallic systems known so far.