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More about the Chemistry

of Asphaltenes and Maltenes
Asphaltenes:
Asphaltenes are complex hydrocarbons having the following components:
Condensed aromatic hydrocarbons with side chains up to C30
Hetero-aromatic compounds with sulfur present in benzothiophene rings and nitrogen in pyrrole and
pyridine rings
Bi- or polyfunctional molecules with nitrogen as amines, amides, and oxygen in groups such as: ketones,
armides, phenols, and carboxylic acids
Metals nickel and vanadium complexed with pyrrole nitrogen atoms in porphyrin ring structures

Maltenes:
Maltenes constitute the fraction of asphalt which is soluble in n-alkane solvent such as pentane and heptane.
Their chemical characteristics are as follows:
Contain smaller molecular weight versions of asphaltenes called "resins"
Contain aromatic hydrocarbons with or without O, N and S (also called "first acidaffins")
Contain straight chained or cyclic unsaturated hydrocarbons called oleifins (also called "second
acidaffins")
Contain cyclic saturated hydrocarbons known as naphthenes (also called "saturates")
Contain straight or branch chain saturated hydrocarbons (also "saturates"
Their molecules are also known as "naphthene-aromatics"

29/04/2016 6:19 PM

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