Copper (II) Ethoxide

Copper (II) ethoxide is a blue-green, air-sensitive solid that readily hydrolyzes in the
presence of water or atmospheric moisture. It is insoluble in ethanol and other alcohols;
however, its solubility can be enhanced through the use of suitable complexing agents.
Copper (II) ethoxide is primarily employed as a precursor for the synthesis of Copper-
containing compounds, particularly in sol-gel processes used to prepare copper-based
nanoparticles and thin films.

For example, researchers at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China demonstrated that
the addition of acetic acid as a complexing agent enabled the effective use of Copper
ethoxide in sol-gel synthesis, which they applied to the preparation of superconducting
materials.

References:

1. Weng, W., Yang, J., & Ding, Z. (1994). A complexing approach to inducing sol-gel
process of insoluble Cu ethoxide — evolution of local environment of Cu complex
species. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 170(2), 134–142.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3093(94)90039-6
2. Weng, W., Ding, Z., Mao, Y., & Zhang, F. (1992). The gelation behaviour of copper
ethoxide. Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 147–148(C), 102–105.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3093(05)80601-5