The role of thermal hydrogen-transfer processes in catalytic coal liquefaction

Conference · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:126486

McMillen, D F; Malhotra, R ^[1]

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1. SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (United States)

Relying on the mechanistic and process phenomenology details described by the previous speakers in this symposium, this presentation will attempt to summarize some of what we have learned in the last 15 years about the hydrogen-transfer reactions that control both bond cleavage and bond formation during liquefaction, to show how this understanding can help articulate process phenomenology, and to raise new questions about conversion pathways. The focus will be on free radical reactions, and will attempt to elaborate two general points. First, we wish to argue that it is important to consider {open_quotes}thermal{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}catalytic{close_quotes} reactions not as two separate realms of the universe, but as classes of reactions that are both important in virtually all catalytic liquefaction processes, and therefore a better understanding of which is necessary to optimize such processes. Second, we believe that high-temperature reactions of coals are by no means limited to processes that are purely free-radical, but that the polar functional groups on coals make it very likely in fact that reactions involving charge separation (i.e., {open_quotes}ionic{close_quotes} reactions) can play some key roles in high temperature coal conversion processes. Thus, we suggest that new and useful understanding may be derived from learning how electron-transfer reactions can serve to connect radical and ionic reaction manifolds.

• OSTI ID: 126486
• Report Number(s): CONF-950402--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
CHEMICAL BONDS
CLEAVAGE
COAL
COAL LIQUEFACTION
ELECTRON TRANSFER
HYDROGEN TRANSFER
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE