The conclusion is that although electronically favored, the coordination of weak ligands to Al precursors, resulting in pentacoordinate states, is a minor effect, which does not significantly affect the thermodynamics of the condensation, but it may significantly increase its activation barriers if the reactions are conducted at low temperatures. In any case, if pentacoordinate aluminosilicate species remain in the reaction mixtures upon reaching room temperature, the coordination is lost with heating and solvent removal.