economical and environment - friendly processes for the synthesis of anionic clays and anionic clay - like materials with acetate anions as the charge - balancing interlayer species are disclosed . the processes involve combining a slurry of a gibbsite or its thermally treated form with a slurry or solution of a magnesium source and magnesium acetate . the product is not washed , needs no filtration and exists in a close - to - neutral ph condition . the product can be spray dried directly to form microspheres , or it can be extruded to form shaped bodies . because of the absence of foreign salts , the product can be combined with other ingredients in the manufacture of catalysts , absorbents , pharmaceuticals , cosmetics , detergents and other commodity products that contain anionic clays .