CH4 Chlorination with Cl2 using zeolites having different surface polarities: Catalysis descriptors explaining the electrophilic pathway

•CH4 chlorination with Cl2 is investigated using zeolites ion exchanged with various cations.•Electrophilic chlorination is predominant at the early stage of reaction.•As the reaction proceeds, radical-mediated chlorination becomes predominant.•Electrophilic chlorination is crucial for giving CH3Cl more selectively than polychloromethanes.•EA, SRP, physisorption enthalpy and NBO charge can be the catalysis descriptors.