Metal oxide coatings

Compounds of formula I may be hydrolyzed to produce metal oxides wherein M is Mg, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, La, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Th, U, or Pu; X is O 1/2 or OR; R is alkyl; R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are independently H, alkoxy, C 1 -C 10 alkyl, phenyl or R 10 , R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14 and R 15 are independently C 1 -C 10 alkyl or phenyl; n is equal to the the value of the oxidation state of M minus q; m and p are independently 0 or an integer from 1 to 5; and q is 0, 1, 2, or 4; with the proviso that when q is 1, X is OR; and when q is 2, X is O 1/2 , and M is V, Cr, Mn, Fe, As, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Sb, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Bi, Th, U, or Pu; and when q is 4, X is O 1/2 , and M is Cr, Mo, W, Ru, Re, Os, U, or Pu. Articles comprising at least one metal oxide are fabricated by coating a substrate with at least one compounds of formula I before hydrolyzing, and/or heating the compound at a temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 450° C.