REACTIVITY AND STRUCTURE OF 2 COALS CONTAINING SIGNIFICANT METHOXY GROUP CONCENTRATIONS

Two coals (Beulah, PSOC-1483, and a Thai coal, TH23) of unusually high reactivity with hydrogen and tetralin were shown to contain significa nt methoxy group contents. The fate of the methoxy groups when these c oals were reacted under N-2 at 320 degrees C (with and without added d ecalin) and with H-2-tetralin and H-2-SnO2 at 405 degrees C was studie d. The reactions of TH23 coal gave unexpectedly high water yields. Rea ctions of model compounds containing methoxy groups under similar cond itions also gave high water yields. Proton magnetic resonance thermal analysis (PMRTA) confirmed that TH23 host and guest coal components ar e structurally distinct from those of Loy Yang (Victoria) run-of-mine coal.