this patent describes economical and environment - friendly processes for the synthesis of anionic clays . it involves reacting a slurry comprising boehmite , which has been peptized with acid with a divalent metal source followed by addition of source of base . the slurry is then hydrothermally aged . there is no necessity to wash or filter the product and it can be spray dried directly to form microspheres , or can be extruded to form shaped bodies . the product can be combined with other ingredients in the manufacture of catalysts , absorbents , pharmaceuticals , cosmetics , detergents , polymeric nanocomposites and other commodity products that contain anionic clays .