Investigation of the chemical structures of coking and non-coking coals in original and reductively alkylated solid states via 13C n.m.r. and i.r. spectroscopies

Abstract

Chemical structures of four Turkish coals in original and reductively alkylated forms were investigated in the solid state by CP/MAS 13C n.m.r. and i.r. spectroscopies. Dilatation properties of these samples were also determined. It was observed that, while the aliphatic parts of the coking coals are mainly composed of short and straight alkyl groups and alicyclic structures, the aliphatic parts of the non-coking coals are to a larger extent composed of branched chains and/or alicyclic structures. It was concluded that ether bonds linking aromatic units are more prominent in the coking coals, whereas in the non-coking coals aromatic-O-aliphatic and/or alicyclic ethers dominate. The degree of condensation of aromatic structures was found to be higher in the coking coals, and the extent of reductive alkylations was higher in comparison with the non-coking coals. Non-coking coals were found to be alkylated preferentially at their phenolic oxygens. Difference spectra were found to be very useful in following organic chemical structural changes that accompany reductive alkylation.