Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Coal

Abstract

Coals were refluxed with palladium, ruthenium, and rhodium catalysts in high-boiling aromatic and heteroaromaticsolvents. As much as 53 percent of the hydrogen in one coal was evolved as hydrogen gas. The yield of hydrogen varied with the rank of the coal and the nature of the solvent but was little influenced by the metal or catalyst support.