Propene disproportionation on ZnO

Transformation of propene adsorbed on ZnO in a closed reactor at 296–623 K has been monitored with 1H and 13C solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Propane was detected to be formed as one of the reaction products and a simple aromatics of the average composition C7H8 as the other product. The mechanism of propene disproportionation, detected for the first time on zinc oxide catalyst, is discussed.