Amorphous aluminosilicates with controlled porosity in the region of micro-pores (ERS-8, SA) and meso-pores (MCM-41, HMS and MSA) have been compared as catalysts in the hydroxyalkylation of phenol with acetone and of aniline with formaldehyde. The comparison has also included two commercial silica-alumina gels and H-Beta. In the hydroxylakylation of phenol with acetone to bisphenol A (BPA), the catalysts have been compared by batch test in terms of activity and selectivity. In the hydroxylakylation of aniline with formaldehyde, also the catalyst life has been investigated. As a general behavior, mesoporous aluminosilicates have evidenced better catalytic activity, selectivity and longer catalyst life than both microporous ones and commercial silica-alumina gels. In the hydroxyalkylation of aniline to methylenedianiline (MDA), mesoporous MSA have shown similar performances of H-Beta in term of MDA yields, but lower catalyst life. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.