In water-containing catalytic reactions, regarding of whether water is reagent, reaction medium or product, water has much influence on the activity and life of hydrophilic catalysts. Hydrophobic catalysts can well overcome the disadvantage of hydrophilic catalysts by avoiding the coverage of water on active components. In recent years, SDB (styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers) have got more and more attention in the field of catalyst preparation due to the distinct hydrophobicity of SDB. Advances of research and application of hydrophobic catalysts over SDB in nuclear industry and the production of saturated acid /ester and olefine acid /ester were reviewed in this paper. Based on the research, the room of research and application of the hydrophobic catalyst was prospected.