A number of pillared clay based catalysts have been used in methanol conversion and the obtained results related to the physico-chemical characteristics of the samples. Zr-PILCs samples have proven to be quite effective in dehydration to dimethyl ether and hydrocarbons due to their acidity and porosity. In special, well-pillared samples are suitable to obtain hydrocarbons. Doping with Cu does not improve dehydration due to the loss in acidity caused by Cu addition, but it renders the materials useful for methanol dehydrogenation. Cu/pillared clays have shown promising catalysts for methanol dehydrogenation to methyl-formate, despite the existence of interactions with the acid-base properties of the support, which contribute to dimethyl ether formation and degradation of methyl-formate to CO2, CO and formaldehyde. X-ray diffraction, chemical analysis, N-2 and pyridine adsorption and XPS helped to understand the catalytic performance of the prepared catalysts.