The porousmaterialHZSM-5 zeolite with micro-mesopore hierarchical porosity was prepared by post-treatment (combined alkali treatment and acid leaching) of parent zeolite and its catalytic performance for benzene alkylation with methanol was investigated. The effect of post-treatment on the textural propertieswas characterized by various techniques (including ICP-AES

XRD

nitrogen sorption isotherms

SEM

NH

3

-TPD

Py-IR and TG). The results indicated that the post-treatment could modify the structural and acidic properties of HZSM-5 zeolite. In this procedure

not only additional mesopores were created by selective extraction of silicon but also the acidity was tuned. Consequently

themodified HZSM-5 zeolite showed larger external surface areawith less acid sites as compared to the parent zeolite. Itwas found out that themodified zeolite exhibited a higher benzene conversion and xylene selectivity for alkylation of benzene with methanol as well as excellent life span of the catalyst than conventional ones. This can be explained by the facts that the presence of additional mesopores improved the diffusion property in the reactions. Furthermore

the modified zeolite showed an appropriate Brønsted acidity

for effective suppression of the side reaction of methanol to olefins

thus reduced the accumulation of coke on the HZSM-5 zeolite

whichwas favorable for the catalyst stability. In comparison with the parent HZSM-5 zeolite

themodified zeolite by alkali treatment and acid leaching showed better performance for the benzene alkylation with methanol.