A process of preparing a doped aluminum oxide, includes providing a solution comprising 8-hydroxyquinoline; an aluminum precursor; a dopant precursor, and a reaction solvent; isolating a precipitate from the solution; and calcining the precipitate to form the doped aluminum oxide. Compositions may be prepared which include tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) aluminum and (8-hydroxyquinolinato)zM, wherein M is a metal ion and the value of z is equivalent to the oxidation state of the metal ion.