Abstract: A process for separating polar and non-polar constituents from coal tar distillates, comprising passing the distillates over a separation column together with an eluting agent. According to the invention the process comprises mixing a tar oil distillate with a non-polar solvent, passing this mixture over a separation column which contains a stationary phase and eluting with a non-polar solvent, the eluting agent being collected together with the substances dissolved therein, followed by eluting with a more polar eluting agent or with a plurality of eluting agents of increasing polarity, and separately collecting the more polar eluting agent or the plurality of eluting agents of increasing polarity, together with the substances dissolved therein, followed by isolating the substances dissolved in the non-polar and in the polar solvents, respectively, utilizing known techniques.