Composition of an SRC-II coal-derived liquid: Changes in composition resulting from hydrotreatment at different levels of severity

An SRC-II coal-derived liquid fuel and eight upgraded coal liquids derived from it were separated into chemical class-type fractions by preparative liquid chromatography. Mass and infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography and non-aqueous titration were used, together with the mass balance data from the l.c. separations, to describe changes in composition of the liquids as a function of severity of hydrotreating conditions. The relative abundance of the following classes of compounds was determined in each of the liquids : saturates, monoaromatics, diaromatics, polyaromatics, total acids, total bases, hydroxyarenes, strong acids, pyrrolic benzologs, carbonyl compounds (amides), basic diarylamines, basic monoarylamines, azaarenes, and strong bases. The results are discussed in the light of known reaction pathways for aromatic ring saturation and heteroatom removal.