Certain ionic liquids can fragment coals to a remarkable degree at temperatures below 100 degrees C. Here, it is shown that when Illinois No. 6 coal is mixed with the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoromethanesulfonate and tetralin and held at temperatures of 300 degrees C or less under hydrogen, a dramatic increase in pyridine solubility is obtained. The highest yield of soluble material was in excess of 90% [dry and ash-free (daf) basis], but the results were very variable, partly as a result of the small sample sizes used.