This invention proposes a method for preparing
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), comprising the following steps: S1, dissolving 4-
androstenedione in
acetic anhydride to obtain a first material, which is then pumped separately into an
acetylation microchannel reactor with quaternized GO-
phosphotungstic acid catalyst supported on the inner wall for reaction with
acetyl chloride; S2, mixing
triethyl orthoformate with
anhydrous ethanol to obtain a second material, which is then pumped separately into a ketal microchannel reactor with
niobium oxide / γ-CD-
phosphotungstic acid catalyst supported on the inner wall of the ketal microchannel reactor; S3, dehydrating the
effluent from step S2 and adjusting the pH to 7-8, then pumping separately into a reduction microchannel reactor with an
ethanol solution containing
sodium borohydride for reduction reaction; S4, adding
hydrochloric acid to the
effluent from step S3 and adjusting the pH to 2-3 to obtain a
hydrolysate; evaporating the
solvent from the
hydrolysate, filtering and
drying to obtain DHEA. The supported heteropolyacid
composite membrane used in this invention exhibits high
catalytic efficiency, high yield, and excellent quality.