Carbonization of the surface of alumina-based catalysts has been studied with respect to the composition of the catalysts and conditions of the propionitrile ammonolysis. It was shown that the surface concentration of carbon increases with the increase in temperature and with time of the reaction and depends on the catalysts nature in the order: Al-Zr(5)-O < Al-Zr(40)-O < Al-O < Al-Mg-O. The surface concentration of the Bronsted acidic sites follows the same sequence.