Study on Organosulfur Compounds in a Chinese High-Sulfur Bituminous Coal

The clean utilization of high-sulfur coals depends on a comprehensive understanding of the occurrence forms of organosulfur compounds and their behaviors during coal processing at the molecular level. A Chinese high-sulfur bituminous coal (HSBC) was firstly extracted with CS₂, and then the corresponding extract was subject to gradient elution to obtain a fraction enriched in organosulfur compounds. A total of 29 organosulfur compounds were identified in this fraction using an Agilent 7890A/5975C GC/MS system. The results revealed that the organosulfur species in the HSBC predominantly exist in thiophenic forms, specifically as thiophene rings fused with benzene and/or naphthalene rings and their alkyl-substituted derivatives. The presence of thiophenic structures in HSBC facilitates the pyrolysis of its macromolecules and promotes the formation of light component, and their potential transformation behaviors during coal processing were also discussed.