SAPO-35 molecular sieves have been synthesized using different additives. Monosaccharides were employed in order to decrease the crystal size and classical mesoporogen agents (carbon black and chitosan) were combined with the sugar additives to generate small crystals of SAPO-35 with intracrystalline mesoporosity. This synthesis strategy produces silicoaluminophosphate materials with larger non-microporous surface area, which facilitates the mass transfer within the catalyst. Thus, the use of these synthesis additives allows to retard catalyst deactivation in the methanol-to-olefin process. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.