Chemistry of the extractive phase of two-stage coal liquefaction. Quarterly report, April 1, 1984-June 31, 1984. [Octahydrophenanthrene]

The experimental work described here is being carried out with the objective of identifying and quantifying key chemical linkages in the coal, coal extract, and process solvent used in a two-stage coal liquefaction process. The successful achievement of this objective will assist in defining the optimum conditions required for the operation of the first stage of the liquefaction process. Two principal investigative methods are being used to attain the above objective. One employs a phenol/BF/sub 3/ depolymerization reaction to rupture methylene bridges in the coal, coal extract, and process solvent to yield solvent-soluble products which can be subsequently characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and chromatographic methods. The second procedure, Pd-catalyzed dehydrogenation of coal and coal-derived materials, provides a measure of the hydroaromatic content of these materials. The information derived from these tasks, combined with other data derived from the literature, will be analyzed to provide information regarding the structure of the essential materials used in and generated by the liquefaction process. This report describes further studies of the depolymerization of coal and coal extract residue using 3-fluorophenol and BF/sub 3/ with emphasis on the analysis of the reaction products. The results of dehydrogenation experiments using two model compounds, octahydrophenanthrenemore » and 9,10-dihydroanthracene, and of a distillation fraction of the process solvent are also presented. 8 refs., 5 figs., 8 tabs.« less