NOVELTY - Metal complexes having 1,3-diketones substituted in the 2-position (I), are new.    USE - (I) are useful for forming metal complex clusters, which are useful for producing thin ceramic metal oxide layers used: in electronic components such as capacitors or thin film transistors, in photovoltaic and semiconductor technologies, and in solar cells, flat panel displays and touch screens, or as contacts, conductors, semiconductors and dielectrics in FETs; and as an anti-scratch coating and an anti-reflective coating (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - (I) produce the thin ceramic metal oxide layers with reduced cost and without the formation of major proportions of organic residues in a simple manner, and exhibits good solubility and stability.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Metal complexes having 1,3-diketones substituted in the 2-position of formula (Mi(R1-CO-C(H)mX-CO-R2)n) (I), are new.    M = Zn, In, Ga, Sn, Al, Zr, Ti or Hf;    i = 1 or 2;    m = 0 or 1;    n = 1-4;    R1, R2 = 1-8C-alkyl, 3-7C-cycloalkyl, 1-8C-alkoxy, amino, NHR3 or N(R3)(R4), preferably methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy or amino;    R3, R4 = 1-8C-alkyl or 3-7C-cycloalkyl;    X = hydroxyimino, nitro, sulfo comprising -SO2-alkyl having 1-8C, phosphato comprising -PO(O-R1a)2, -SnR2a3, -SR3a, or halide comprising F, Cl, Br, I or pseudohalide comprising -CN, -N3, -OCN, -NCO, -CNO, -SCN, or -SeCN;    R1a = 1-8C-alkyl, or 1-8C-alkoxy;    R2a = 1-8C-alkyl; and    R3a = H, 1-8C-alkyl, or 3-7C-cycloalkyl.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) metal complex clusters formed from (I) in which i is greater than or equal to 2 and n is greater than 2; and    (2) producing thin metal oxide layers, comprising dissolving or dispersing (I) or the metal complex cluster in a suitable solvent or solvent mixture, applying and drying the resulting solution or dispersion, which optionally comprises other additives comprising plasticizer, stabilizers, binder and defoamers, on a substrate surface to be coated by wet coating, and converting the coated layer by heating in an oven, on a hotplate, or by irradiation using UV, infrared or laser into a metal oxide in form of a thin layer.