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Structural characterization of Gudao aspbaltcne was undertaken by using ruthenium ion catalyzed oxidation ( RICO ) which is capable of COl1Wrting aromatic carbons selectively to carbon dioxide and/or carboxylic groups while leaving aliphatic and alicyclic structures essentially unaffected. The oxidation products were dominated by a homologous series of straight chain monocarboxylic acids ( C. -c" ) indicating that normal alkyl chains are important constituents of the asphaltcne.A series of a, w -dicarboxylic acids (C. -C,. ) were also detected and determined, confirming the presence of polymethylene moieties linking two aromatic units.Relative high yields of benzenepenta-and hexacarboxylic acids formed in the RICO of Gudao asphaltcne clearly indicate that substantial aromatic structures of this asphaltene are pcri-eondensed. 559