Ethylene and propylene are important chemical materials and manufactured from petroleum at present. However

the oil shortage has been a worldwide problem

while the demands for olefins

especially for propylene

has been growing steadily. The alternative ways for the production of ethylene and propylene from methanol

which can be obtained from coal and natural gas

have received much attention from academic and industrial fields in recent decades. The technologies of methanol to olefins (MTO) and methanol to propylene (MTP) are developed rapidly in recent years. This paper presents a review on the recent researches in this field

including the modifications on catalysts ZSM-5 and SAPO zeolites

advances in hydrocarbon pool mechanism

and the progress in the technology development and industrialization of MTO and MTP.