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Pyrolysis of coal model compounds containing aromatic carboxylic acids: The role of carboxylic acids in cross-linking reactions in low-rank coal

Conference ·
OSTI ID:519149

The pyrolysis of 1-(3-carboxyphenyl)-2(4-biphenyl)ethane (1) diluted in 10-fold excess of naphthalene has been studied at 400 {degrees}C to investigate whether decarboxylation of aromatic carboxylic acids can lead to cross-linked products. The dominant mechanism for decarboxylation was found to be an acid-promoted ionic pathway that does not lead to cross-linking. However, a small amount of cross-linked products (i.e. naphthalene grafted onto decarboxylated 1) were formed. The yields of the cross-linked products were found to be decreased in the presence of a hydrogen donor solvent, tetralin, suggesting that these products were formed by a free-radical pathway. The mechanism for the formation of cross-linked products was proposed to occur from the formation and decomposition of anhydrides of 1 during pyrolysis.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-96OR22464
OSTI ID:
519149
Report Number(s):
CONF-970942--3; ON: DE97006341
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English