Extraction residue (ER) from ultrasonic extraction of Xinghe lignite (XL) was subjected to sequential thermal dissolution (TD) in cyclohexane from 200 degrees C to 320 degrees C and subsequently in benzene, methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol at 320 degrees C. The yields of soluble portions (SPs) in methanol and ethanol are much higher than those in cyclohexane and benzene, and the total SP yield is ca. 48.3%. According to gas chromatography/mass spectrometric analysis, the most abundant group components are arenols in cyclohexane-soluble portion obtained at 290 degrees C and methanol-soluble portion obtained at 320 degrees C, arenes in both cyclohexane-and benzene soluble portions obtained at 320 degrees C, alkanoates in ethanol-soluble portion obtained at 320 degrees C, and alkenones in isopropanol-soluble portion obtained at 320 degrees C. Anthracene was used as hydrogen acceptor to probe hydrogen transfer (HT) from ER in terms of the formation of 9,10-dihydroanthracene (DHA) and 1,2,3,4-tetra-hydroanthracene (THA) during TD. As a result, both DHA and THA were detected in all the SPs except benzene soluble portion obtained at 320 degrees C and the yields of both DHA and THA increased with raising temperature in cyclohexane, indicating that raising temperature enhances HT from ER to anthracene. Compared to TD in cyclohexane, alkanols, especially isopropanol, enhance the HT more significantly at 320 degrees C.