Wandoan Australian coal was separated into three parts by the float and sink method. The light(I) and medium(I1) density fractions were extracted both by benzeneethanol using ultrasonic irradiation and at 200ยฐC in an autoclave. The residue was hydrogenated in steps to obtain the n-hexane soluble part, raising the reaction temperature from 320 to 390ยฐC. The n-paraffins were analysed for each extract. Those from ambient extraction showed a bimodal distribution in the C,,-&, region with odd carbon numbers predominating in the CZ3C3i region. In the case of the 200ยฐC extract a smooth distribution appeared at C, 2-C31. For the first hydrogenation, the paraffins were distributed at Ci2CS2 with a slight predominance of odd-paraffins in the C23C31 region, and only one maximum at CZ6. When the temperature was increased from 320 to 390ยฐC the distribution approached two maxima at CiZ and C,,, with the former increasing in amount with the temperature. At the final stage there is a slight predominance of even paraffins in the region C,,-C,O which is believed to originate from esters, acids, alcohols etc. It was also found that there was no serious difference between part I and II in the distribution of n-paraffins, but part I yielded greater amounts of saturated hydrocarbons than the corresponding part II. -