A method is disclosed for the preparation of a metal exchanged microporous materials, e.g. metal exchanged silicoaluminophosphates or metal exchanged zeolites, or mixtures of metal exchanged microporous materials, comprising the steps of providing a dry mixture of a) one or more microporous materials that exhibit ion exchange capacity and b) one or more metal compounds; heating the mixture in a gaseous atmosphere containing ammonia and one or more oxides of nitrogen to a temperature and for a time sufficient to initiate and perform a solid state ion exchange of ions of the metal compound and ions of the microporous material; and obtaining the metal-exchanged microporous material.