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U.S. Department of Energy
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Coal-transformation chemistry. Fifth quarterly progress report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6327667

Colorado subbituminous coal was reduced with potassium in the presence of naphthalene in tetrahydrofuran. The reaction proceeded more effectively with higher concentrations of naphthalene. The coal polyanion was alkylated with methyl iodide and butyl iodide. The coal products were separated from the electron transfer agent by chromatography and the spectroscopic properties of the tetrahydrofuran-soluble alkylated properties were examined. Quantitative analyses of the carbon nmr spectra revealed that the alkylated Colorado subbituminous coal is much richer in O-alkylation products than the alkylated Illinois No. 6 bituminous coal and that there are significant quantities of carboxylic acids in the Colorado coal. Illinois No. 6 coal was methylated reductively in liquid ammonia and its tetrahydrofuran solubility and spectra properties were studied. The same coal sample was then subjected to a second selective methylation and its solubility and spectroscopic properties were examined. O-Alkylation did not proceed to completion during the first alkylation reaction. However, selective methylation using tetrabutylammonium hydroxide as a catalyst yielded virtually complete O-alkylation. An isotopically enriched, reductively methylated Illinois bituminous No. 6 coal was treated with mild acid in an effort to determine the quantity of vinyl ethers present in the alkylated products. It was concluded that methyl vinly ethers are not present among the alkylation products of Illinois No. 6 coal. The influence of inorganic sulfur compounds on the deuterim-hydrogen reactions of diphenylmethane and tetralin-d/sub 12/ were studied.

Research Organization:
Chicago Univ., IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-80PC30088
OSTI ID:
6327667
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/30088-5; ON: DE81025977
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English