Studies on OCH(CF 3 ) 2 , OCMe(CF3) 2 , OCMe 2 (CF 3 ), and OC(CF3)3 derivatives of the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, and the lanthanide elements are reviewed, with emphasis on work reported since 1988. Alkali and alkaline earth fluoroalkoxides are generally made from reaction between the alcohol and the metal, its hydride, or organometallics. Most syntheses of transition metal derivatives involve reaction between metal halides and alkali or alkaline earth salts, or the alcoholysis of metal alkyls, alkoxides and amides. Coordination between organic fluorine and electropositive metals (ie. Na, Ba, Τl, Pr) is often observed in the crystal structures of these fluoroalkoxides and may be related to their use as chemical vapor deposition precursors for metal fluorides.Fluorinated metal alkoxides are of interest for a number of reasons. Complexes with bulky fluorinated alkoxy ligands usually have substantially greater volatility and solubility than their unfluorinated counterparts, primarily as a result of low polarizability of the C-F bond(7,2). In addition, the high electronegativity of Rp reduces the basicity of the alkoxy oxygen, which renders extended alkoxy bridged polymers less favorable than those with unfluorinated alkoxy groups (2). These properties are of interest in the design of new precursors for CVD (chemical vapor deposition) and sol-gel types of ceramic synthesis. Of note here is the ability of fluorinated metal complexes to serve as precursors for metal fluorides (3). The high electronegativity and oxidation resistance of fluorinated alkoxy groups can help to stabilize the higher oxidation states of some metals and also finds application in the design of new olefin metathesis catalysts.Although many types of fluoro-alkoxy ligands are known, this chapter is primarily concerned with the alkoxy derivatives of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropanol (HOCH(CF3)2, H[HFIP]), 1,1,1-trifluoro-im-butanol (HOCMe2CF3, HfTFTB]) 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-fô/t-butanol (HOCMe(CF3)2, HfHFTB]), and perfluoro-terf-butanol (HOC(CF3)3, H[PFTB]). Emphasis is placed on compounds reported after 1988, as an excellent review by Willis details work prior to that time (2). Discussion will focus on the synthesis of these This chapter not subject to U.S.