Abstract: The method enables the creation of a pillared layered clay (a PILC) by contacting the clay with a pillaring precursor and delivering energy to the reaction mixture to intercalate the precursor into the clay. The pillaring precursor is an electrically neutral organometallic molecule with a carbon-metal bond which is susceptible to proton attack whereby protons donated from sites of Bronsted acidity in the clay cleave the carbon-metal bond to yield an organic fragment of the precursor and a metal-containing pillaring fragment. A preferred precursor is Ph.sub.2 SnCl.sub.2.