Hydrogenolysis reaction of coal-derived asphaltene using molten salt catalysts

✍ Scribed by Kiyoshi Mashimo; Jiro Suezawa; Naoya Masumoto; Katsumi Miwa; Kohichi Takido; Tohru Wainai

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 513 KB
• Volume: 65
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0016-2361
• DOI: 10.1016/0016-2361(86)90039-6

✦ Synopsis

Hydrogenolysis of benzene-soluble, hexane-insoluble material (asphaltene) derived from Chinese Tatung coal was carried out using molten metal halide catalysts. Molten salts such as SnCl,-containing mixtures, showing low ratios of iso-butane to normal butane in the gaseous products, were found to accelerate the conversion of asphaltene to hexane solubles (HS) and suppress the production of gases. The conversion reaction of asphaltene to oil with this catalyst system is always accompanied by the elimination of phenolic hydroxyl groups bonded to aromatic rings. The ZnCl,-CuCl system, of strong acidity as indicated by a high ratio of isobutane to normal butane, exhibited a high activity in hydrogenolysis, the degradation proceeding to gasification. The systems containing KCl, giving relatively low ratios of iso-butane to normal butane, allowed high yields of HS with large amounts of hydroxyl groups. The reactions involved in the conversion are