Various solid base catalysts have been prepared by ion exchange of zeolites and Na-Al-MCM-41 and by organosilane grafting over mesoporous materials. Base catalysts thus synthesized were studied in the selective monomethylation of phenylacetonitrile (PAN) to 2-phenylpropionitrile (2-PPN) using dimethylcarbonate (DMC) as an alkylating agent in a Parr autoclave at a temperature ranging between 443 and 473 K and at autogenously developed pressure. NH2-Na-Al-MCM-41 (30) showed a high activity, and the optimum loading of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilyl (3-APTES) was found to be 1.35 mmol g(-1), being consistent with the structural characterization. Co-condensation of 3-APTES, tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and sodiumaluminate in the presence of surfactant provides a material with uniformly distributed basic sites responsible for high activity in the selective monomethylation of phenylacetonitrile. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.