The invention discloses a
molecular sieve based catalyst and a preparation method thereof as well as application to the
side chain alkylation reaction of methyl
alcohol and methylbenzene. The preparation method specifically comprises the steps that a
water source is added into a
silicon source to dilute, then a template agent, an aluminum source and a
sodium source are added sequentially and stirred uniformly after each adding is completed, and a liquid mixture is obtained; a silylating
reagent is added after the liquid mixture is subjected to
ageing at the
room temperature and stirred uniformly, a
crystallization reaction is conducted under the moderate and continuous stirring conditions after the materials are stirred uniformly, the product is washed and filtered after the reaction is ended, the obtained
solid is dried and calcinated, and a
molecular sieve based catalyst precursor is obtained; and the
molecular sieve based catalyst precursor is placed into an
alkali metal salt solution to be subjected to
alkali metal ion exchanging, the obtained exchanged sample is filtered, dried and calcinated, and the molecular
sieve based catalyst is obtained. The molecular
sieve based catalyst is specifically applied to preparing
styrene in the
side chain alkylation reaction of methyl
alcohol and methylbenzene. The physical and chemical features of the molecular
sieve based catalyst arechanged by optimizing the preparation conditions of the molecular sieve, and the methyl
alcohol conversion rate, and the selectivity and yield of
styrene are finally and effectively improved.