REACTION OF TETRAETHYLORTHOSILICATE AND HEXAFLUOROACETONE TRIHYDRATE

Neat tetraethylorthosilicate reacts with neat hexafluoroacetone trihyd rate to give particulate silica xerogel precipitates. Particulates for med early in the reaction have spheroidal micromorphology, and control of the reaction conditions affords particle sizes approaching 25 nm i n diameter. A mixture of tetraethylorthosilicate and Ti(Oi-Pr)(4) reac ts with hexafluoroacetone trihydrate as neat liquids at 5 degrees C to give immediate precipitation of a Si/Ti mixed-metal oxide xerogel par ticulate having a Si:Ti molar ratio of approximately 9:6.