A solid superacid was prepared as a catalyst.The catalyst was characterized by ammonia temperatureprogrammed desorption,surface property measurement,and analyses with scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry.A extraction residue from Lingwu subbituminous coal was subject to non-catalytic and catalytic hydroconversion using cyclohexane as the solvent under pressurized hydrogen at 300 ℃ for 3h.The results show that the total yield of petroleum ether-extractable arenes from catalytic hydroconversion is much higher than that from non-catalytic hydroconversion.The cleavage of Car-Calk bonds in the residue could significantly proceed during catalytic hydroconversion.