Hierarchically porous aluminophosphate molecular sieves possessing both micropores and mesopores recently receive increasing interest because they can reduce diffusion limitations in the reactions involving bulky molecules. This paper mainly focuses on the latest development of synthesis, characterizations and catalytic applications of hierarchically porous aluminophosphate molecular sieves. According to the formation mechanism of hierarchical pores, the synthetic methods of the hierarchical structured aluminophosphate molecular sieves can be classified into four categories: hard template, soft template, nontemplated and post-synthesis method. The advantages and disadvantages of these synthetic methods are systematically compared with each other. From the point view of industrial application, the nontemplated and post-synthesis methods are more promising compared to other synthetic routes. In addition, various techniques characterizing the acid properties and pore textures of hierarchically porous molecular sieves are described, taking silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve as an example. However, most of these measurements need to be performed on complex expensive instruments, and the process is time-consuming. Thus, to develop some facile and general characterization techniques is highly desirable.Finally, the catalytic applications of these hierarchically porous materials in three kinds of important reactions (such as alkylation reaction, isomerization reaction and methanol to olefins) are reviewed. The relationships between the catalytic performances and the properties of catalysts are analyzed in detail.

Contents
1 Introduction
2 Synthesis of hierarchically porous aluminophosphate molecular sieves
2.1 Hard-template method
2.2 Soft-template method
2.3 Nontemplated method
2.4 Post-synthesis method
3 Characterizations of acid properties and pore textures
4 Catalytic applications of hierarchically porous aluminophosphate molecular sieves
4.1 Alkylation reaction
4.2 Isomerization reaction
4.3 Methanol (dimethyl ether) to olefins
4.4 Other reactions
5 Conclusion and outlook