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Title: Coal anion structure and chemistry of coal alkylation. Final report, March 1, 1979-February 29, 1980

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6421071· OSTI ID:6421071

In accord with Task 1, some ether cleavage reactions were carried out in two different media - potassium/naphthalene/tetrahydrofuran and potassium/ ammonia - so that the merits and demerits of the two methods could be compared. Preliminary results suggest that both systems yield the same products, and that the ammonia medium is more convenient to work with, because of the absence of by-products such as reduced naphthalenes and tetralin. Dialkyl ethers were found to be least reactive compounds while the benzyl and phenyl ethers were found to be most reactive, as would be expected. The reductive alkylation of coal was carried out in ammonia at 25/sup 0/C. The tetrahydrofuran solubility of the reaction product was surprisingly low. We have obtained additional /sup 13/C)/sup 1/H) nmr data for tetrahydrofuran-soluble butylated coal and some model compounds; obtained additional Styragel(R) chromatography data of tetrahydrofuran-soluble coal labelled with 98%-enriched butyl-1,1-d/sub 2/ iodide; and obtained /sup 2/D nmr spectra of all the deuterium-labelled, tetrahydrofuran-soluble coal products. In accord with Task 4, we have undertaken a review of the information now available concerning the nature of Illinois No. 6 coal. Also, the effects of organic additives on the exchange reactions between tetralin-d/sub 12/ and diphenyl-methane and on the thermal cleavage reactions of several model compounds in tetralin were investigated to probe the relationship between structure and reactivity. The exchange reaction can be accelerated by coal, asphaltene-preasphaltene fractions derived from coal, compounds with labile bonds, or compounds which can be reduced readily. The pyridine-insoluble coal product, acids, and bases are inactive toward the exchange reaction.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-77ET10487
OSTI ID:
6421071
Report Number(s):
DOE/ET/10487-T1; COO-4227-12; ON: DE81025500
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English