Transformations of oil asphaltenes in supercritical hexane Available to Purchase

The conversion of oil asphaltenes of heavy oil in the supercritical hexane stream within the temperature ranges up to 250 and 250–450°C and at pressure 5 MPa is investigated. Elemental analysis, IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy and chromatography-mass spectrometry are used to characterize the initial asphaltenes and liquid products of their transformation. The C₁₄−C₂₇ n−alkanes, C₁₄−C₃₅ alkenes, C₂₇, C₂₉–C₃₅ hopanes and C₃₀ hopene, C₂₇−C₂₉ steranes, C₁₄−C₂₇ mono-, C₁₄−C₂₉ bi-, C₁₃−C₂₅ tri- and C₁₃−C₂₀ tetraalkylsubstituted benzenes, C₂–C₄ naphthalenes, C₂–biphenyls, C₀–C₃ phenanthrenes, C₁–C₂ fluorenes, C₀–C₁ pyrenes and C₀–C₁ fluorantenes, C₃–C₄ benzo-, and C₁–C₂ dibenzothiophenes were identified in the oils of a liquid product of the conversion of asphaltenes. The data obtained suggest the proceeding of reactions of dealkylation and cleavage of associative bonds in the course of thermolysis of asphaltenes in supercritical hexane.