ABSTRACT
Layered solids have been of catalytic interest for quite some time. Materials such as clays, for example, were used over 50 years ago for the cracking of heavy petroleum feedstocks to gasoline-range products. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has played a significant role in characterizing the clay lattice (including the pillars), in the charge-compensating cations, and various compounds intercalated or adsorbed in the clay. Structure, orientation, and dynamics of adsorbates on clays have been studied in addition. This chapter discusses a number of other novel materials. Although the zirconium phosphates have not yet been as widely studied by NMR as the clays, the chapter reviews some of the salient work done so far. Continuing the theme of “very large-pore zeolite emulators,” the chapter also reviews recent work on aluminum phosphates. While not necessarily layered materials, these systems attempt to fulfill similar requirements as the clays and zirconium phosphates.
