Coal heteroaromatic compounds

Table IV. Summary of Heteroaromatic Compound Types Identified in Coal Liquids...

A. Terentis, A. Doughty, and J. C. Mackle, Kinetics of pyrolysis of a coal model compound, 2-picoline, the nitrogen heteroaromatic analog of toluene. 1. Product distributions, J. Phys. Chem. 96(25), 10334-10339 (1992). 

Substantially fewer studies have been published for the reactions of alkyl-substituted heteroaromatics, although these compounds also have implications for coal combustion. Several references discussed in the previous section contain information on methylated heteroaromatic rings. Mackie and coworkers completed experimental and theoretical studies of the pyrolytic decomposition of 2-picoline (2-methylpyridine). They concluded that decomposition proceeded mainly through o-pyridinyl and 2-picolinyl radicals. The former tended to decompose predominantly to yield cyanoacetylene, while the latter favored decomposition to a cyano-functionalized cyclopentadiene (Fig. 16). 

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