This study was to achieve selective separation of specific aromatic hydrocarbons from low temperature coal tar. The feedstock was pretreated to separate phenols and enrich specific aromatic hydrocarbons

and then extracted by multiple solvents to separate selectively aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons. The extraction conditions were optimized by the theory of Hansen solubility parameter. Selectivity of the extraction process was enhanced with the rise of Hansen solubility distance (Ra)

while dissolving capacity decreased with the increase of Ra. The multiple solvents suggested in the study were dimethyl formamide (DMF)+6% water (volume fraction)

and the optimized extraction condition was 25℃ and solvent/oil ratio of 6:1. The raffinate was extracted repeatedly under the optimized condition to collect residual aromatic hydrocarbons. The extract was extracted by formamide repeatedly to increase the concentration of aromatics and separate heterocyclic compounds and other polar components. Consequently

the mass percentage of aromatic hydrocarbons in the product was ca. 95% and the total yield of aromatics was ca. 94%; phenols

non-aromatics and other polar components were also separated selectively from the feedstock. The extraction solvent of aromatics was recovered by reduced pressure distillation

which was stable during the extraction and recycle process.