What is "oxophilicity"

Oxophilicity is the tendency of certain chemical compounds to form oxides by hydrolysis or abstraction of oxygen, often from organic compounds. The term is usually used to describe metal centers, commonly the early transition metals such as titanium, niobium, and tungsten. Oxophilic metals are classified as "hard" within the HSAB concept. Many main group compounds are also oxophilic, such as derivatives of aluminium, silicon, and phosphorus (V). The handling of oxophilic compounds often requires air-free techniques.