A new type of the mixed zirconium phosphate phosphonate support and the solid base were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, XRPD. P-31 MAS NMR, TG, DTG and DSC. IR spectra showed that there were some differences between the support and the solid base in the vibration frequencies. XRPD indicated that the supports were amorphous. The P-31 MAS NMR spectrum of each solid base exhibited three main resonances, and thermogravimetry indicated that the solid base had two or three step weight loss at temperatures of up 900degreesC. The Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde with diethylmalonate or malononitrile, cyclohexanone, with malononitrile was catalyzed by the solid base (H_ = 12.2) in high catalytic activity and simple work-up, the catalyst could be reused four times and easy to be regenerated. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.