A method for synthesizing highly soluble metal alkoxides includes the step of reacting a tertiary alcohol having the formula: wherein R1, R2, and R3 are, independently, the same or different, an alkyl group, an alkenyl, an alkynyl group or an aryl group, and at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is a group of at least 3 carbon atoms, with at least a stoichiometric amount of a metal reagent. The metal reagent is generally a group I metal, a group II metal, zinc, a metal alloy of a group I metal, a metal alloy of a group II metal, a metal alloy of zinc, a compound of a group I metal, a compound of a group II metal or a compound of zinc.