Titania powders were prepared by solvothermal process from titanium n-butoxide and ethyl acetoacetate modified titanium n-butoxide. The prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED), differential thermal and thermo-gravimetric analysis (DTA/TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Regardless of modifying agent presence, pure anatase with crystallite size below 10 nm was prepared without any additional thermal treatment. Alkoxide modification increased the specific surface area of anatase prepared thereof (from 177 to 207 m(2)g(-1)), slightly retarded its grain growth, as well as phase transformation to rutile, while no significant differences in bandgap have been noted (ca 3.3 eV). The photocatalytic activity of prepared powders has been evaluated for the RV2 dye degradation where the sample prepared without modifying agent showed a greater photodegradation rate (unmodified = 1.799 min(-1), modified = 1.080 min(-1)), as a consequence of a greater absorption coefficient. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.