In a methanol-to-olefin conversion mechanism (MTO) study, by using zeolite ZSM-22's one-dimensionalchannels to exclude the hydrocarbon pool mechanism as well as secondary reactions, we found very lowolefin yield during an extended reaction time under normal MTO conditions. More significantly, no H/Dexchange between the acidic proton and the hydrogen atoms on methoxy groups was observed, even at elevatedtemperatures as high as 500
C, suggesting no C-H activation for methoxy groups under normal MTO reactionconditions. In comparison, substantial H/D exchange was found on ethoxy groups. These results confirmedthat methoxy groups are energetically not favored to form C-C bonds directly.