Precursors for the production of thin oxide layers and the use thereof

A process for preparing a thin metal-oxide layer, dissolving or dispersing one or more metal complex(es) according to formula (I) or a metal-complex cluster thereof in a solvent or solvent mixture

• Ml[R1—CO—C(H)mX—CO—R2]n, (I)
• in which
• M denotes a metal atom selected from zinc, indium, gallium, tin, aluminum, zirconium, titanium and hafnium,
• l denotes 1 or 2,
• m denotes 0 or 1,
• n denotes 1, 2, 3 or 4,
• R1 and R2, independently of one another, denote alkyl having 1 to 8 C atoms, cycloalkyl having 3 to 7 C atoms, alkoxy having 1 to 8 C atoms and/or amino, NHR3 or NR3R4, where R3 and R4, independently of one another, denote alkyl having 1 to 8 C atoms or cycloalkyl having 3 to 7 C atoms,
• and
• X denotes hydroxyimino, nitro, sulfo, —SO2-alkyl having 1 to 8 C atoms, phosphato, —PO(O—R*)2 where R* is alkyl having 1 to 8 C atoms or alkoxy having 1 to 8 C atoms, —SnR**3 where R** is alkyl having 1 to 8 C atoms;
• —SR*** where R*** is H, alkyl having 1 to 8 C atoms or cycloalkyl having 3 to 7 C atoms, halide, or pseudohalide;
• optionally adding to the solution or dispersion obtained liquefiers, stabilizers, binders and/or antifoams,
• applying the solution or dispersion obtained by wet coating to a substrate surface to be coated to form a layer,
• drying the applied layer and converting the applied layer into a metal oxide in the form of a thin layer by heating and calcination at a temperature in the range of 150-350° C.