Layered alpha-zirconium sulfophenylphosphonate-methanphosphonate is a solid acid catalyst that catalyzes Ferrier rearrangement from d-glycals and alcoholic nucleophiles under mild reaction conditions in short time and good yields. Notably, the combination of alpha-zirconium sulfophenylphosphonate-methanphosphonate and lithium bromide change the regioselectivity of this process affording 2-deoxy sugars in good yields.