The manipulation of molecular structures is an important enabling technology for future advances in nanotechnology. The ability to control the synthesis of nanostructured materials, such as the bond formation and geometry of a molecule is of great significance to nanoscience as nanosystems are constructed from these smaller units. Influencing the assembly of molecular structures at the early stages of material formation can modify the ensuing molecular aggregate structure with the potential for impact in a broad range of optical, chemical, and biological applications. Heteroleptic titanium metal alkoxides (OPy)₂Ti(4MP) ₂ and (OPy)₂Ti(TAP)₂, where OPy = OC₆H₆N, 4MP = OC₆H₄(SH)-4, and TAP = OC₆H₂(CH₂N(CH₃)₂)₃-2,4,6 were investigated as precursors for thin film and solution-based synthesis of oxide materials via the photoactivation of intermolecular reactions (e.g. hydrolysis/condensation) at selected ligand sites about the metal center. Manipulation of the molecular structure of these photosensitive metal alkoxides was achieved through the use of optical irradiation parameters, such as the tuning of the excitation wavelength, total optical fluence, and pulse energy intensity. Irradiating these metal alkoxides with UV-light was seen to cause photodisruption in the ligand groups leading to the formation of Ti-O-Ti linking via hydrolysis and condensation reactions. In spin-coated (OPy)₂Ti(TAP)₂ films, these photoinduced bridge bond formations resulted in an increase in refractive index and film densification as well as produced an insoluble film when rinsed in pyridine. By making use of these photoinduced film properties, the formation of physical relief structures from spin-coated (OPy)₂Ti(TAP)₂ films was demonstrated along with the ability to photopattern sub-micron and nanometer features. In addition, the micro- and nanostructure of thin films were optically manipulated through several deposition methods; a novel dip-coated in-situ photodeposition technique was utilized by illuminating at specific distances above the meniscus to further control the early stages of material formation due to changes in the mobility of the reactants from the evaporation and gravitational draining of the solvent. The ability to manipulate molecular development at the on-set of material formation through different deposition techniques and optical parameters allowed for the creation of several thin film optical devices, such as gratings, micro-optic lenslet arrays, and binary "on-off" patterned devices.

Heterogeneous catalytic reactions that involve immiscible liquid-phase reactants are challenging to conduct due to limitations associated with mass transport. Nevertheless, there are numerous reactions such as esterification, transesterification, etherification, and hydrolysis where two immiscible liquid reactants (such as polar and non-polar liquids) need to be brought into contact with a catalyst. With the intention of alleviating mass transport issues associated with such systems but affording the ability to separate the catalyst once the reaction is complete, the overall goal of this study is geared toward developing a catalyst that has emulsification properties as well as the ability to phase-transfer (from liquid-phase to solid-phase) while the reaction is ongoing and evaluating the effectiveness of such a catalytic process in a practical reaction. To elucidate this concept, the transesterification reaction was selected. Metal-alkoxides that possess acidic and basic properties (to catalyze the reaction), amphiphilic properties (to stabilize the alcohol/oil emulsion) and that can undergo condensation polymerization when heated (to separate as a solid subsequent to the completion of the reaction) were used to test the concept. Studies included elucidating the effect of metal sites and alkoxide sites and their concentration effects on transesterification reaction, effect of various metal alkoxide groups on the phase stability of the reactant system, and kinetic effects of the reaction system. The studies revealed that several transition-metal alkoxides, especially, titanium and yttrium based, responded positively to this reaction system. These alkoxides were able to be added to the reaction medium in liquid phase and were able to stabilize the alcohol/oil system. The alkoxides were selective to the transesterification reaction giving a range of ester yields (depending on the catalyst used). It was also observed that transition-metal alkoxides were able to be recovered in the form of their polymerized counterparts as a result of condensation polymerization subsequent to completion of the transesterification reaction.

Several organic transformations are mediated by group(IV) metal alkoxides. The reactivity is based on the basic nature of alkoxide group, Lewis acidic nature of the group(IV) metals, insertion of unsaturated molecules into the M-OR bond and the reduction of M(OR)4 to low valent species. The thesis deals with insertion reactions and the reductive and metathetic coupling reactions mediated by group(IV) metal alkoxides. Titanium(IV) alkoxides and zirconium(IV) alkoxides promote insertion and metathesis of aryl isocyanates. It was observed that aryl isocyanates underwent double insertion in addition to mono insertion. At room temperature, head to tail double insertion is observed whereas at elevated temperatures, head to head double insertion occurred leading to metathesis. The reaction has also been extended to metathesis between heterocumulenes and heteroalkenes. Titanium and zirconium carry out these reactions with different efficiencies. The reasons for these differences have been sought through computational methods. New organic transformations promoted by group(IV) metal alkoxides that are reduced with Grignard reagents and silanes have been explored. Grignard reagents do show reactivity towards imines in the presence of group(IV) metal alkoxides. The reactions have been studied with stoichiometric and catalytic amounts of titanium(IV) isopropoxide and are shown to follow different pathways. Isotope labeling studies indicate that alkylated products formed in stoichiometric reactions arise due to metal-olefin intermediates. However in catalytic reactions, a metal-alkyl complex is responsible for alkylation. Titanium(IV) alkoxides when used in combination with silanes such as phenylsilane bring about the reductive coupling of imines. One of the interesting features is that this pinacol type coupling is diastereospecific.

Metal alkoxides are easily available and versatile precursors for functional materials, such as solid catalysts. However, the poor solubility of metal alkoxides in organic solvents usually hinders their facile application in sol–gel processes and complicates access to complex carbonate or oxidic compounds after hydrolysis of the precursors. In our contribution we have therefore shown three different solubilization strategies for metal alkoxides, namely the derivatization, the hetero-metallization and CO2 insertion. The latter strategy leads to a stoichiometric insertion of CO2 into the metal–oxygen bond of the alkoxide and the subsequent formation of metal alkyl carbonates. These precursors can then be employed advantageously in sol–gel chemistry and, after controlled hydrolysis, result in chemically defined crystalline carbonates and hydroxycarbonates. Cu- and Zn-containing carbonates and hydroxycarbonates were used in an exemplary study for the synthesis of Cu/Zn-based bulk catalysts for methanol synthesis with a final comparable catalytic activity to commercial standard reference catalysts.