System and method for pretreatment of solid carbonaceous material

1. A method for pretreating a carbonaceous material, comprising heating a mixture comprising:

(a) the carbonaceous material,

(b) at least one catalyst or catalyst precursor, and

(c) a naphtha that has a normal boiling point of less than 360° C., to a temperature sufficient and for a time sufficient to cause the at least one catalyst or catalyst precursor to disperse into the carbonaceous material to form a pretreated carbonaceous material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one catalyst or catalyst precursor comprises molybdenum.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one catalyst or catalyst precursor is at least partially soluble in the liquid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one catalyst or catalyst precursor is a molybdenum sulfur compound or complex selected from the goup consisting of tetrathiomolybdates, alkylthiocarbamates, dialkyldithiocarbamates, dialkylphosphorodithioates, dithiophosphates, xanthatcs, thioxanthates or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one catalyst or catalyst precursor has the stoichiometric formula:

(C a H b ) n1 Mo x S y O z N c P d or

wherein a is in the range of 2 to 18, b is in the range of 5 to 38, n1 is in the range of 1 to 4, x=2, y is in the range of 2-6, z is in the range of 0 to 4, c=2, and d=0 to 4.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the mixture to a temperature of about 100-300° C. for about 10-360 minutes.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising hydroprocessing the pretreated carbonaceous material.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of hydroprocessing is selected from the group consisting of a hydrocracking process, a hydrotreating process, a hydrodenitrogenation process, a hydrodesulfurization process and a hydrodemetalation process.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising heating the mixture to a temperature of about 100-300° C., maintaining said temperature for about 10-360 minutes, heating the mixture to a temperature greater than about 400° C. to perform the hydroprocessing steps.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbonaceous liquid is derived from a coal hydrogenation process or a coal liquefaction process.

11. A method for pretreating a carbonaceous material, comprising heating a mixture comprising:

a. the carbonaceous material,

b. at least one catalyst or catalyst precursor having the stoichiometric formula:

(C a H b ) n1 Mo x (S y1 H y2 )O z N c P d .

wherein a is in the range of 2 to 18, b is in the range of 5 to 38, n1 is in the range of 1 to 4, x=2, y is in the range of 2-6, z is in the range of 0 to 4, c=2, d=0 to 4, yl=2 to 4 and y2=2 to 4, and

c. a hydrocarbonaceous liquid,

to a temperature sufficient and for a time sufficient to cause the at least one catalyst or catalyst precursor to disperse into the carbonaceous material to form a pretreated carbonaceous material.