Structural Studies On Coal Using Solid-state Nmr and Mass-spectrometry .1. Selective Cleavage of Ether Linkages

The ether linkages in coal were selectively cleaved by a reagent SiCl4/NaI. The soluble products obtained after the degradation were fractionated and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (g.c.-m.s.) and chemical ionization m.s. (c.i.m.s.). Structural changes in the original coal and the residue obtained after degradation were studied by C-13 cross polarization, magic angle spinning n.m.r. (CP/MAS n.m.r.). The results of the analysis of the soluble products supported the findings of solid state n.m.r. studies