Solvolysis of Bituminous Coal in Coal- and Petroleum-Derived Commercial Solvents.

The solvolytic conversion of softening bituminous coal at 380 °C in solvents derived from the commercial hydrocarbon byproducts and residues from coal and petroleum processing was studied. Hydrogen-donor tetrahydronaphthalene (THN) and nondonor 1-methylnaphthalene (MN) were also used for comparison. The high-boiling solvents of different chemical classes (highly aromatic coal tar, its anthracene fraction, and low-aromatic heavy gas oil of catalytic cracking of the oil residue) and the H-donor THN solvent were found to exhibit high efficiency for coal conversion into quinoline-soluble products.