Highly promising possibilities arise in the controlled synthesis of single-site catalysts from the well-behaved condensation chemistry of the octakis(trimethyltin)spherosilicate building block Si8O20(SnMe3)8 (CUBE), first reported by Feher and Weller. The trimethyltin functionalization provides high solubility in nonpolar solvents and supports metathesis reactions with covalent d-and p-block element (M) chlorides and bromides as well as organometallic compounds, forming Me3SnCl, Me3SnBr or Me3SnR as byproducts, respectively. Multiple silicate Si-O-M linkages are thus created by non-hydrolytic condensation, leading to the formation of gels. The metathesis is analogous to common proton-exchange reactions. However, due to the relatively low reactivity and weak coordinating nature of the [Me3SnOSi] moiety, it is highly compatible with other functional groups and ligands.