Abstract: The invention provides a process for the liquefaction of coal. The comminuted coal is slurried in a solvent or pasting oil and digested, normally under hydrogen pressure, e.g. of 50 to 250 atmospheres partial pressure, under catalytic conditions, at temperatures between about 380.degree. and 500.degree. C., preferably 400.degree. to 470.degree. C. and residence times between about 10 and 100 minutes. The solvent or pasting oil is obtained wholly or mostly by recycling from the distilled fractionation of the reaction products. The solvent system comprises a light fraction in the boiling range up to 200.degree. C. and a heavy residue fraction, boiling mainly above 450.degree. C., there being a more or less well-defined lack of solvent in a boiling range intermediate between 200.degree. and 450.degree. C. Preferably less than 20%, e.g. 5% or less of the solvent system boils between 200.degree. and 450.degree. C. The ratio of low boiling to high boiling solvent is preferably from about 3:1 to 1:3.