Effects of Lewis acid catalysts on the hydrogenation and cracking of three-ring aromatic and hydroaromatic structures related to coal

Little is known about the hydrogenation and cracking of fused aromatic nuclei during the liquefaction of coal under the influence of Lewis acid catalysts. This study was conducted to establish the effects of catalyst acidity on the activity and selectivity of Lewis acid catalysts, the sources of hydrogen involved in hydrogenation and cracking, and the relationships between reactant structure and reactivity. Three-ring aromatic and hydroaromatic compounds were used to simulate some of the structural units present in coal. The catalysts examined were ZnCl2 and AlCl3. It has been established that the rates of both processes are strongly influenced by the Brönsted acidity of the active catalyst, e.g. H+ (MXnY)−, and the Brönsted basicity of the aromatic portions of the reactant. The source of the hydrogen used for hydrogenation depends on the choice of catalyst. In the presence of AlCl3, Scholl condensation of aromatic nuclei serves as the principal source of hydrogen. Molecular hydrogen is used exclusively, however, when hydrogenation is catalysed by ZnCl2. The formation of reaction products and the trends in reactant reactivity are discussed on the basis of cationic mechanisms. The results of this study contribute to an understanding of the processes which occur during the liquefaction of coal using ZnCl2 or AlCl3.