Synthesis of mesoporous catalytic materials

A process for synthesizing a molecular sieve material comprising an inorganic porous material having, after calcination, a bimodal pore size distribution comprising an arrangement of uniformly-sized mesopores having diameters of at least about 20 .ANG. and an arrangement of micropores having diameters in the range of about 5 to 12 .ANG., an internal area greater than 200 m.sup.2 /g and a thermal stability up to 800.degree. C.,

• which comprises preparing two reaction solutions, the first solution containing a source of silica and the second solution containing a quaternary ammonium surfactant having a hydrophilic ammonium group and a linear hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain, combining the first and second solutions and mixing the combination at a pH in the range of 8 to 13, stopping the mixing and forming the mixture into a solid product with the mixing and solid product formation being carried out at a temperature in the range of 0.degree.-25.degree. C., separating the solid product and subjecting the product to a two-stage heat treatment comprising the steps of raising the temperature of the solid product to about 100.degree. to 150.degree. C., holding the product at this temperature for a time of 0.5 to 24 hours, then raising the temperature of the product to a temperature of about 300.degree. to 600.degree. C. and holding the product at this higher temperature for about 1 to 24 hours.