Two new hydrotalcite-like materials are composed of copper and/or platinum oxalato complexes incorporated into layered double hydroxides (LDH). The first compound, MgCuAl–(Cu(C 2 O 4 ) 2 ), presents copper located in the hydroxylated layer as well as in the interlayer domain, and the second phase, MgAl–(Cu(C 2 O 4 ) 2 )–(Pt(C 2 O 4 ) 2 ), contains copper and platinum oxalate complexes. Both materials exhibit significant properties in terms of texture and pore size distribution. Intrically possessing active centers, the materials also exhibit an enhanced specific surface area, up to 200m 2 /g after calcination at 600°C, making them potentially interesting for catalytic purposes.