Dealuminated MCM-22 samples have been prepared by a two-step dealumination procedure. Detailed assessment of the properties of the materials obtained at each one of the successive stages, i.e. steaming (at 500 degrees C, 700 degrees C and 800 degrees C) and acid reflux (HCl and oxalic), has been made by XRD. N-2 adsorption-desorption, m-xylene adsorption, Al-27 MAS NMR and FT-IR of pyridine adsorption. It was found that steaming generates extra-framework aluminum (EFAl) species and the majority of them cannot be extracted by the consecutive acid leaching. These extra-lattice entities block the zeolite micropores which makes the remaining Broensted acid sites isolated and inefficient. It is shown that the presence of such species vastly affects the catalytic performance of zeolite MCM-22 in the reaction of m-xylene conversion. The consequences are reduced adsorption capacity and catalytic activity, modified reaction products distribution, enhanced p-xylene selectivity, as well as altered mode of coke formation and composition of the coke precursors. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.