Conversion of coals to gaseous products containing benzene as a main organic product by the reaction with copper(II) oxide and aqueous potassium carbonate solution

Coals were converted to gaseous products containing benzene as a main organic product and methane, other aliphatic hydrocarbons and acetone as organic by-products, and carbon dioxide by reaction with a mixture of copper(II) dioxide and aqueous potassium carbonate solution at 400 degrees C. The relation of the yield of benzene and the carbon content of coals was bell-shaped, in which the maximum yield was observed in the intermediate carbon content region. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.