Basic nitrogen species in coal tar pitch separated and recovered using nickel sulfate as adsorbent

Characterization for basic nitrogen species in coal tar pitch separated and recovered using nickel sulfate as an adsorbent are analysed by FD-MS and FT-IR. It is shown that the first fraction in the coal tar pitch passing through the nickel sulfate column was found by FD-MS to consist principally of 3 to 9 rings aromatic hydrocarbons, very few basic nitrogen compounds being left. In contrast, the fraction recovered from the column with a mixture of toluene and water carried a variety of nitrogen heterocyclic species, the majority of them being basic one of 3 to 9 rings.