Studies on the effect of the structural and compositional properties o
f layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and their decomposition products on
the ethanolysis of propylene oxide to form glycol ethers are reported
. The reaction, supported by results of indicator titrations, is used
as a tool for elucidating the identity of the active sites in these ma
terials. For LDHs, the catalytic behavior relates to their structural
properties and the active sites can therefore be rationalized. In the
case of their calcined derivatives, however, there is no apparent corr
elation due to the diversity of the active sites.