Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2011
Zirconium propoxide hydrolysis was performed with the help of an esterification reaction using acetic acid. Products, obtained according to the value of hydrolysis ratio, are successively crystals, sols and gels or precipitates. The similarity of FUR and NMR spectra for crystals and gels allows to think that the arrangements of ligands around the zirconium atoms are close. The crystalline structure determination permits to precise the environment : acetate groups are always bridging and propoxy groups can be bridging or terminal. Clusters containing 9 zirconium atoms, bridged by oxygen atoms, exist in the structure. The colloid size growth was performed by light scattering. A discussion of the role of acetic acid and the competition between the possible reactions is given.