In this paper, we studied titanium (TiO2) nanoparticle in three different structures (Anatase, Rutile, and Degussa) and then they were synthesized by the sol–gel method which is used butanol, toluene, and triethylene glycol as solvent at different temperatures and times. Then in this case to modify the TiO2, doping was done by transition metals and CdTiO3, CrTiO3, NiTiO3, MnTiO3, FeTiO3, and CoTiO3 were synthesized. The pure MTiO3 (M = Cd, Cr, Ni, Mn, Fe and Co) nanoparticles were formed when the precursor was heat-treated at 750 °C for 210 min. Characterizing the new additions was conducted by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image and N2 absorption–desorption. The BET analysis was performed to calculate the specific surface area. Pore diameter, pore volume, and the percentage of mesoporous MTiO3 were obtained by the BJH method according to the reaction. Titanium(IV) butoxide as a precursor was reacted with the metals and the energy band gap based on the metals decreased markedly and differently. To show the existing bond of titanium and metals, FT-IR and SEM image were used to investigate the obtained addition and investigating better their morphology respectively. To evaluate the photocatalytic properties of the nanocrystalline TiO2 (Degussa P-25) and MTiO3, the photocatalytic degradation of salicylic acid as a chemical toxic compound under ultraviolet light irradiation was carried out. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.