Two types of nanostructured phosphorus-oxide-containing composite membrane catalysts were prepared by the methods of molecular layering and magnetron sputtering. The structural properties of prepared catalytic layers were measured by XRD, IR and AFM methods. The catalytic activity of composite membranes was studied in oxidative dehydrogenation of methanol in two types of membrane reactors. It was shown that application of non-perm selective composite membrane catalysts could give noticeable advantages at the proper operating mode of the reactor. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.