Several studies have shown that bituminous coal can be used for the production of organic acids especially aromatic carboxylic acids, through oxidation. This research is concerned with the Korean anthracite could be used for the same purpose.
In case of Changsung anthracite the maximum yield was obtained when the coal was oxidized for 100 minutes at the reaction temperature of 270 ℃ under the oxygen pressure of 880 psig. In addition, six other kinds of anthracite were also tested. Among those Yongwol anthracite which showed the best yield, yielded about 40 % of water soluble organic acids on the amount of pure coal excluded moisture and ash.
It was also shown that the organic acid yield is not related with the proximate analytical value of coal but with the structure of coal or reactivity of coal, and the organic acids produced were identified as benzene polycarboxylic acids by esterification and I. R. Spectra.