n-Dodecyltriethoxysilane (DTEOS) modified NaHSO 4 / MCM-41 catalysts (silanized catalysts) were synthesized by different impregnation sequences and evaluated in the liquid-phase dehydration of castor oil. The samples were evaluated by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, SEM, TEM, FT-IR spectroscopy, XPS, 29 Si MAS NMR spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, NH 3 -TPD, and pyridine-FT-IR spectroscopy. The analyses demonstrated that silanization enhanced the hydrophobicity of the catalysts, and the impregna-* Prof. Dr. J.-F. Ding E-Mail : ycitjfding@sina.com [a] School of Chemical Engineering