HYDROGEN TRANSFER DURING INITIAL STAGE OF COAL LIQUEFACTION.

A series of coal liquefaction experiments was carried out to evaluate the contribution of hydrogen transfer processes to the overall extent of the reaction and to examine the effects of solvents and catalysts on the hydrogen transfer. Without catalysts, little difference was observed between the yields of pyridine- and benzene-solubles under nitrogen atmosphere and those under hydrogen atmosphere, suggesting that the direct transfer of gaseous hydrogen to the coal hardly occurs. It was concluded that the catalyst was most effective on the indirect transfer of gaseous hydrogen through the coal-derived liquids and/or naphthalene.