Reactions of a bituminous coal with metal chlorides in carbon tetrachloride

The interaction of a bituminous coal (87.2% C) with several metal chlorides in carbon tetrachloride was studied using the conditions under which graphite forms intercalation compounds. Adducts with SbCl 5, AlCl 3, FeCl 3 and MoCl 5 were isolated by filtration and washing with carbon tetrachloride. Atomic ratios versus coal carbon are as follows: C 10.0SbCl 7.4; C 6.2AlCl 4.1; C 6.3FeCl 3.3; and C 11.3MoCl 3.8. X-ray diffraction patterns of the adducts show no 002-band, the latter being partially recovered after extraction with diluted hydrochloric acid. The g-value of the e.s.r. signal of the coal vitrain shows a characteristic increase because of adduct formation with SbCl 5 and AlCl 3 and is reversible by hydrolysis extraction. The results obtained indicate that the bonding with SbCl 5 and AlCl 3 is mainly due to formation of chloro-complexes and with FeCl 3 and MoCl 5 — to formation of organo-metal complexes.