Some compounds separated from depolymerized brown coal

Abstract

The petroleum ether-soluble fraction of the methylated depolymerized product was fractionated by liquid and gas chromatography and the chemical formulae of nine crystalline substances that were isolated were determined completely or partially. Another two compounds ( Figure 6, peaks 18, 23, 0.42%) were also separated and their structure was approximately determined. Seven other peaks (4.11%) were also identified as similar to fractions from liquid chromatography already discussed. Because of over lapping yields in Table 1 and text, the total characterized was only 4.8% of the depoly merized coal, and the total separated about 6.0% ( Table 1). From these compounds, suggestions are made for the course of the depolymerization process and for the structure of the coal.