skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Solvent-mediated hydrogenolysis in coal liquefaction: Quarterly report No. 4 for the period September 16, 1985 to July 15, 1986. [Modeling of bond cleavage of dinaphthylmethane in anthracene/dihydroanthracene and phenanthrene/dihydrophenanthrene]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6761274

The objective of the present study is to explore the relevance of solvent-mediated hydrogenolysis to coal liquefaction. To this end we have investigated the cleavage rates of suitable model compounds in a variety of solvent systems with and without added coals, and assessed the relative importance of hydrogenolysis via free H-atoms and via radical hydrogen-transfer (RHT). We have been able to differentiate between hydrogenolysis via free H-atoms from that via RHT by examining the selectivity of cleavage of 1,2'-dinaphthylmethane. To further aid our understanding of the competition in cleavage of strong bonds by various modes of H-transfer, we have also conducted some mechanistic modeling studies. Finally, we are also trying to understand the impact of mass transport limitations that are likely to be important in actual coal liquefactions because of the heterogeneous nature of coal. Our approach is to bond model structures onto silica gel and study their cleavage in aromatic solvents in the presence of coal. In these experiments, the model structures, whose cleavage can be precisely monitored, cannot directly migrate to sites in coal where hydrogen becomes available, but must rely on the shuttling ability of the aromatic solvent. In this report we discuss our results of modeling cleavage of strong bonds in aromatic/hydroaromatic mixtures. During this reporting period we have optimized parameters for the RHT reactions, extended the model to the phenanthrene system, and rationalized some of the observed trends. The report also includes a brief description of our attempts to bond organic structures to silica. These materials will be used in liquefaction experiments to test the shuttling ability of different solvents. 12 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

Research Organization:
SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FG22-84PC70810
OSTI ID:
6761274
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/70810-4; ON: DE87007116
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English