Conversion of coal to high octane gasoline

A process of converting coal to gasoline comprising:

• a. reacting coal with oxygen and water at about 1450.degree. to 1800.degree. F to produce a synthesis gas product comprising carbon oxides, hydrogen and methane;
• b. catalyzing the conversion of said synthesis gas product from step (a) to form a product comprising water, C.sub.4.sup.- gas and C.sub.5.sup.+ liquid hydrocarbons with a catalyst comprising a crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite having a silica to alumina ratio of at least 12 and a constraint index of 1 to 12;
• c. separating a gasoline fraction containing aromatic components therein from said liquid hydrocarbons of step b;
• d. separating said C.sub.4.sup.- gas into a C.sub.2.sup.- tail gas comprising methane, ethane and ethylene, and an alkylation feed comprising saturated and unsaturated C.sub.3 and C.sub.4 hydrocarbons;
• e. alkylating said alkylation feed in contact with a strong alkylation acid to a reaction temperature up to about 450.degree. F and up to about 500 psig;
• f. separating C.sub.7 and C.sub.8 alkylate from step (e) and admixing said alkylate with said gasoline from step (c);
• g. steam reforming said C.sub.2.sup.- tail gas from step (d) to form an auxiliary synthesis gas comprising carbon oxides and hydrogen;
• and
• h. admixing said auxiliary synthesis gas from step (g) with said coal gasification gas from step (a) prior to conversion thereof in step (b).