IDENTIFICATION OF THE C30H16 POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON BENZO[cd]NAPHTHO[1,2,3-lm]PERYLENE AS A PRODUCT OF THE SUPERCRITICAL PYROLYSIS OF A SYNTHETIC JET FUEL

Using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet-visible (UV) diode-array and mass spectrometric detection, we have analyzed the products of a Fischer-Tropsch synthetic jet fuel pyrolyzed, under supercritical conditions, at 710°C and 42 atm. An eight-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, benzo[cd]naphtho[1,2,3-lm]perylene, has been unequivocally identified among the product components by its characteristic ultraviolet-visible absorbance spectrum. First, the unknown product component's HPLC elution behavior and UV absorbance characteristics indicated that it was a planar benzologue of dibenzo[cd,lm]perylene, having a high length-to-breadth ratio. Next, the mass spectrum established the isomer family of the unknown compound as C₃₀H₁₆. The UV absorption spectrum was then progressively analyzed with different solvents to achieve the final identification of benzo[cd]naphtho[1,2,3-lm]perylene. Benzo[cd]naphtho[1,2,3-lm]perylene has never before been reported as a product in any combustion or pyrolysis study.