Synthesis and PROPERTIES of model compounds for bitumen residue

Felaniaina Rakotondradany ^a,b, Hicham Fenniri^b and Murray R. Gray^a.

^aDepartment of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

^bNational Institute for Nanotechnology, National Research Council, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The asphaltenic components of bitumen, which represent the highest molecular weight bitumen fraction, contain polyaromatic hydrocarbons rich in heteroatoms and polar groups resulting in strong self-association under extraction and upgrading conditions. Building on the techniques of supramolecular chemistry, we here report the synthesis and self-assembly of polyaromatic model compounds to provide new insight for the behaviour of bitumen residue fractions. The synthesis and characterisation of symmetric and non-symmetric alkylated hexabenzocoronenes, which can self-associate at temperatures up to 400°C, will be detailed along with a study of their alkyl-alkyl and pi-pi stacking interactions. The association behaviour of these model compounds will be related to bitumen behaviour and physical properties under production and upgrading conditions.