Insight into the construction of open-framework aluminophosphates

Over the past twenty five years, a class of open-framework aluminophosphates, denoted AlPOs, has been prepared with neutral zeolitic frameworks and anionic frameworks showing wonderfully complex structural and compositional diversity. An insight into the construction of open-framework AlPOs revealing their general structural features and topological chemistry is provided in this tutorial review, and the role of templating and the designed construction and synthesis of AlPOs are discussed.