The reaction of Rh(C2H4)(2)(acac) with the partially dehydroxylated surface of dealuminated zeolite Y (calcined at 773 K) and treatments of the resultant surface species in various atmospheres (He, CO, H-2, and D-2) were investigated with infrared (IR), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and C-13 NMR spectroscopies. The IR spectra show that Rh(C2H4)(2)(acac) reacted readily with surface OH groups of the zeolite, leading to loss of acac ligands from the Rh(C2H4)(2)(acac) and formation of supported mononuclear rhodium complexes, confirmed by the lack of Rh-Rh contributions in the EXAFS spectra; each Rh atom was bonded on average to two oxygen atoms of the zeolite surface with a Rh-O distance of 2.19 angstrom. IR, EXAFS, and C-13 NMR spectra show that the ethylene ligands remained bonded to the Rh center in the supported complex. Treatment of the sample in CO led to the formation of site-isolated Rh(CO)(2) complexes bonded to the zeolite. The sharpness of the nu(CO) bands in the IR spectrum gives evidence of a nearly uniform supported Rh(CO)(2) complex and, by inference, the near uniformity of the mononuclear rhodium complex with ethylene ligands from which it was formed. The supported complex with ethylene ligands reacted with H, to give ethane, and it also catalyzed ethylene hydrogenation at 294 K.