The oxidative methylation of toluene with methane is used as a test reaction for determining the activity, selectivity and yield of C-8 hydrocarbons (ethylbenzene and styrene) over different zeolite and zeolite-type catalysts, viz., X, Y, mordenite, ZSM-5, silicalite and AlPO4-5. Selectivity and basicity increase with decreasing Si/Al atomic ratio within the series of the same structural type. The basicity, surface structure and structural integrity are characterized by TPD of CO2, XPS and IRS, respectively.