Delaminated clays and their use in hydrocarbon conversion processes

A process for preparing a delaminated clay having an X-ray diffraction pattern which does not contain a first order reflection, is described, which comprises: (a) reacting a natural or synthetic swelling clay with a reactant selected from the group consisting of coloidal silica particles, colloidal alumina particles, colloidal titania particles, colloidal chromia particles, colloidal tin oxide particles, colloidal antimony oxide particles, cationic molybdenum clusters, cationic tungsten clusters, cationic nickel clusters, cationic cobalt clusters and mixtures thereof to form a flocculated reaction product, and (b) drying the flocculated reaction product in the presence of air to form the delaminated clay having an X-ray diffraction pattern which does not contain a first order reflection