Binderless beta zeolite has been anchored on a silicon carbide foam with a monolithic shape. The catalytic activity of the resulting composite was evaluated for a Friedel-Crafts reaction carried out in a fixed-bed configuration: the benzoylation of anisole to p-methoxybenzophenone. The results obtained were compared with those of a commercial beta zeolite. Significantly higher product yields along with a stable activity were obtained with the BEA/SiC composite. It has been suggested that the opened structure of the beta-SiC foam and the absence of any binder allow a fast desorption of the p-ketone which is the main product of the reaction but also the major source of deactivation due to strong adsorption and/or coke formation inside the microporosity of the zeolite. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.