Determination of phenols in a coal liquefaction product by gas chromatography and combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The phenolic fraction of a SRC-II middle distillate was isolated and the individual phenolic constituents further separated and identified by using gas chromatography and combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. This complex mixture of phenols was separated with a high-resolution fused-silica capillary column wall-coated with Superox-20M. Identification of 29 compounds was possible. All compounds except one were identified by using two identification parameters: (1) cochromatography with authentic standards and (2) matching mass spectra. All major and most minor constituents have been identified.