A new layered compound of composition Zr-(PO4)Cl(CH3)(2)SO has been prepared by the substitution of bidentate anionic groups O2P(OH)(2)(-) of gamma-Zr(PO4)-O2P(OH)(2) . 2H(2)O with couples of monodentate Cl--dimmethyl sulfoxide ligands. The high reactivity of the new compound makes it a suitable precursor for the preparation of new layered derivatives of general formula Zr(PO4)LL', even containing functional groups of catalytic and electrochemical interest.