MILD OXIDATIONS OF COAL MODELS

Relative rates of oxidation of numerous coal models have been determined by two methods in radicalinitiated oxidations at 50 °C. The results show that hydroaromatic rings (as in 9,10-dihydroanthracene and tetralin) and some anthracenes are so much more reactive than CH2O or CH2 links between benzene rings that cleavage reactions of the latter groups would be excluded in competitive oxidation. However, similar connecting links between naphthalene or more condensed rings will be more competitive. Rates of oxidation of condensed aromatic hydrocarbons can now be related to extensive previous data on alkylbenzenes and a variety of aliphatic compounds. © 1979.