New zirconium hydrogen phosphate alkyl and/or aryl phosphonates of general formula Zr(PO3OH)(2-(x+y))(PO3R)(x)(PO3R1)(y) have been prepared as amorphous solids. The presence of hydrophobic groups such as Me, Ph and Pr and their percentage have an important role in the definition of the corresponding solid structure. All the prepared solids are micro- and mesoporous and show an extraordinary surface area (200-380 m(2)/g). The Bronsted acid catalytic activity of the solids was tested on the direct aza-Diels-Alder reaction of 2-cyclohexen-1-one with N-PMP-pCl-benzaldimine in aqueous medium. The hydrophobic groups on the solid catalyst surface favor reagents' diffusion toward the acidic sites, aiding proton transfer to reagents, increasing the catalytic activity of the prepared solids compared with the layered alpha-zirconium hydrogen phosphate (alpha-ZrP). (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.