Protecting catalytic sites of metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieves

Metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieves and metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieve catalyst particles are protecting from degradation by water by maintaining said molecular sieves or catalysts in contact with a liquid mixture of alcohol and water, the mixture of alcohol and water containing from 45 wt % to 99.8 wt % alcohol. The metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieves and metalloaluminophosphate molecular sieve catalyst particles which have been protected in such fashion catalyze the conversion of feedstocks to hydrocarbons.