The first high specific surface area, pillared, layered phosphate with a narrow pore size distribution

[Al13O4(OH)24(OH2)12]7+ has been intercalated under mild conditions into α-tin phosphate monohydrate to give α-Sn{[Al13O4(OH)24(OH)2)12]0.14H(PO4)2·nH2O}(‘Al13SnP’); calcination of ‘Al13SnP’ at 400 °C gives rise to an aluminium oxide-pillared material with a BET surface area of 228 m2 g–1 and a very narrow pore-size distribution centred at a radius of 22 Å.