The propane conversion Was Studied by in situ I H, C-13 MAS NMR and IR spectroscopic techniques over Zn/H-MFI catalyst. Propane 2-C-13, propane 1-C-13, propene 1-C-13, propene 2-C-13 and benzene C-13 were used as labelled reactants. The results pointed to the propane activation via dissociative adsorption over zinc oxide sites, as evidenced by zinc propyl surface species observation at the onset of propane conversion. Zinc propyl species convert further into propene, which forms asymmetric pi-complex with zinc cations. At the later reaction steps, propene oligomerizes to give charge delocalized carbanionic species stabilized on zinc cations. The role Of carbanionic species in consecutive reaction steps is discussed. (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.