Methods of producing ABO.sub.3 compounds in which A represents a first metal ion and B represents a second metal ion from mixed metal coordination complexes are disclosed. The methods involve reacting compounds serving as a source of the B metal ion with a substituted aromatic compound, in solution, and thereafter reacting the metal coordination complex formed with a compound serving as a source of the A metal, in solution. An example is the reaction of titanium tetraisopropoxide with catechol to form a titanium catecholate coordination complex which is thereafter reacted with barium hydroxide octahydrate to form a pentamethanol barium triscatecholatotitanate mixed metal coordination complex which can be calcined at elevated temperatures to produce the ABO.sub.3 compound, barium titanate (BaTiO.sub.3), which is known to have outstanding dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. Portions of the A and/or B ions can be substituted with other metals.