Carbon-templated mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolites were synthesized directly avoiding a drying process Carbon nanoparticles were simply mixed into synthesis precursor of ZSM-5 and hydrothermally treated by microwave irradiation The amount of mesopores formed inside the ZSM-5 single crystals was controllable by adjusting the amount of carbon used For comparison mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolites have also been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions The Influence of microwave irradiation on mesoporous ZSM-5 materials was thoroughly investigated by using nitrogen adsorption/desorption studies and Al-27 MAS NMR. The nature of acid sites both in the micropores (internal) and on the surface of mesopores (external) was investigated by in situ FTIR spectroscopy using pyridine (Py) and 2' 6'-di-tert-butylpyridine (DTBPy) as a probe molecules Mesoporous ZSM-5 prepared by microwave synthesis showed higher catalytic activity in the bulky molecular reaction of 2' 4'-dimethoxyacetophenone (2' 4'-DMAP) with 4-methoxy-benzaldehyde as a model reaction in comparison with the results obtained over hydrothermally prepared ZSM-5 The further catalytic behavior has been studied in condensation reaction and cracking of substituted benzene (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved