Catalytic and adsorption properties of zirconium triple orthophosphates Na₃ZrM(PO₄)₃ with M= Zn, Co, Cu in the anionic part of the phosphate are studied. Based on the linear ratios of the catalytic and adsorption characteristics of phosphates with the standard reduction potentials of compensator ions, it is shown that the limiting stage of the dehydration reaction is associated with a reversible change in the charge state of active centers of triple Na-Zr-M-phosphate, which includes compensator ion M that partially replaces zirconium in the anionic part of the phosphate.

The dehydrogenation of propanol-2 on sodium-zirconium phosphates (NZP) with the composition Na_{1 − 2x} M _x Zr₂(PO₄)₃ (x = 0.125 and 0.25) in which Na⁺ ions were replaced by M²⁺ = Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu²⁺ ions was studied. The experimental reaction activation energy E _a decreased while transition through the T* = 310−340°C temperature; above this temperature, the electrophysical and crystallographic properties of the material changed. These changes were explained by the reversible transfer of Me²⁺ ions from position M1 to M2 in the NZP lattice. Me²⁺ centers with different alcohol adsorption forms at T < T* (one-point) and T > T* (two-point) participated in the dehydrogenation reaction. For the first form, E _a and the logarithm of the preexponential factor linearly correlated with the ionic radius of M²⁺. The activity of M-NZP catalysts altered in repeated experiments and in cases when the direction of temperature variations changed.

Characteristics of the catalytic activity in the dehydration of butanols of copper-containing sodium-zirconium-phosphates (NZPs), in which Na⁺ ions substitute for Cu²⁺ ions are obtained. It was found that in the 100–370°C region, the action energy of the reaction falls upon the transition through temperature T* ∼ 300°C, above which the electrophysical and crystallographic properties of phosphates change. The observed dependences are explained by the center (which consists of copper with various positions in the phosphate network at T < T* and T > T*) taking part in the formation of carbonyl compounds. This indicates the presence of a ligand effect, i.e., to structural sensitivity of the dehydration reaction in the case of Cu-NZP catalysts.

The catalytic properties of ternary zirconium phosphates Na_1-2x Cu_xZr₂(Po₄)₃ in the transformations of butanols were been studied. It was found that the structure of alcohol and the copper content (x = 0, 0.15, 0.25, 0.35) affect the rate and selectivity of dehydration. The activity and selectivity changed as the content of copper that substitutes for sodium ions increased. The general conversion of alcohol and selectivity in dehydration decreased in the series butanol-2 →-isobutanol → butanol-1, due probably to the change in the apparent activation energy of the reaction, depending on the stability of alcohol binding to the surface.