It is shown that octene-1 adsorbed on zeolite H-ZSM-5 at ambient tempe
rature exhibits carbenium ion properties. Namely: (1) According to H-2
NMR, the proton of the acidic =A1-OH-Si= group of the zeolite is tran
sferred into the CH2= group of the octene-1 molecule. (2) According to
C-13 NMR the C-13 label inserted into the terminal CH2= group of the
octene-l molecule is scrambled over its hydrocarbon skeleton. Thermody
namic and kinetic parameters for carbon scrambling are measured within
the temperature range 290-343 K. The zeolite framework is shown to fa
vour the formation of the linear rather than branched carbenium ion.