Hydrophobicized double layer hydroxide compounds

A process for the preparation of a hydrophobicized double layer hydroxide compound of the formula

• (M(II).sub.1-x M(III).sub.x (OH).sub.2)A.sub.a B.sub.b * z H.sub.2 O (I)
• wherein M(II) is a divalent metal cation selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, cobalt, copper, cadmium, nickel and manganese;
• M(III) is a trivalent metal cation selected from the group consisting of aluminum, iron, chromium, manganese, bismuth and cerium;
• A is an equivalent of a monoanion of an aliphatic C.sub.2-34 monocarboxylic acid or an equivalent of a dianion of an aliphatic C.sub.4-44 dicarboxylic acid;
• B is an anion selected from the group consisting of carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, hydroxide, and halide;
• 0.1.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.5;
• 0<a.ltoreq.0.5;
• 0.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.0.5;
• 0<a+b.ltoreq.0.5;
• and
• 0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.10;
• provided that the compound of formula I does not include compounds that contain both magnesium and aluminum as cations and either or both of carbonate and sulfate as anions, comprising reacting at least one double-layer hydroxide compound of the formula
• (M(II).sub.1-x M(III).sub.x (OH).sub.2) B * z H.sub.2 O (II)
• in which M(II), M(III), B, x and z are as defined above, but excluding compounds of formula II that contain both magnesium and aluminum as cations and either or both of carbonate and sulfate as anions, with at least one aliphatic C.sub.2-34 monocarboxylic acid and/or at least one C.sub.4-44 aliphatic dicarboxylic acid by either
• a) carrying out the reaction in an organic solvent, and removing the solvent thereafter by drying at 20.degree. to 150.degree. C., or
• b) directly reacting the above components together, or
• c) reacting the at least one double layer hydroxide compound of formula (II) with an alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal salt of the at least one mono- and/or dicarboxylic acid in aqueous suspension.