In Initial Steps of the Sol- Gel Process, a Reactive

In initial steps of the sol- gel process, a reactive metal is treated with an alcohol to form a metal alkoxide. The metal alkoxide is then combined with water to form the metal hydroxide. The metal hydroxide is not formed directly by reaction of the metal with water because .

A) the direct reaction of a reactive metal with water will give a complex mixture of metal oxides and hydroxide
B) finer particles are obtained in the two- step process
C) the two- step process prevents oxidation of the metal to an unstable oxidation state
D) the metal hydroxide formed in the two- step process is more soluble and is more easily utilized
E) the alcohol stabilizes the metal hydroxide making it less susceptible to attack by the base added later