Novel modern coal chemical technology is not only a new sparkling spot in development of fundamental organic chemical industry in China

but also another revolution in chemical industry worldwide. Coal manufacturing processes for chemical products include gasification

water gas shift

methanol synthesis

and methanol conversion to hydrocarbon

which methanol conversion over zeolites plays a key role. Related researches on methanol conversion were reviewed in both thermodynamics and topological model. The thermodynamic equilibrium model for conversion of multimethylbenzene to olefins and thermodynamics mechanism of olefin formation were studied from thermodynamic mechanism and product distributions of hydrocarbons and olefins synthesized from methanol conversion over ZSM-5 catalyst. The zeolite topological structure model was based on discrete Ising model. Phase-transition phenomenon in SAPO-34 deactivation and non-uniform distribution of coke was explained from similarity between zeolite channel blockage and “liberty” in the game of Go. Guided by these models

work on designing hierarchical structures of zeolites were illustrated

which greatly enhanced selectivity and lifetime of catalysts. These concepts show their importance for accurately understanding mechanisms of methanol reaction on zeolites and zeolite deactivation

product distribution and enhancement of catalyst selectivity.