The writer, with the help of capable collaborators, has studied the conversion of carbohydrates and lignin derivatives. It has been found that lignin and its derivatives play a role only in the formation of lignites. Oil and bituminous coals are formed mostly from the carbohydrate content of plant materials. It has been found that the conversion of algae into the so-called "protoproduct" can be carried out very easily in the presence of alkaline-reacting material like limestone. Ammonia formed during the decomposition from albumens acts like limestone. By further removal of oxygen by the process of intra-molecular combustion or by hydrogenation, for instance in presence of bi-valent iron, materials containing less oxygen with asphalt-like properties are obtained. Further emoval of oxygen by cracking or hydrogenation leads to oxygen-free hydrocarbons in which aliphatic, hydroaromatic, and aromatic hydrocarbons can be found. During this conversion methane and its homologues are formed.

Experiments have shown that algae and other carbohydrate-containing materials and the so-called protoproduct react with gypsum under formation of calcium sulphide which upon hydrolysis forms lime and hydrogen sulphide. Lime furnishes the necessary alkaline reaction for the conversion of carbohydrate material into its conversion products. Hydrogen sulphide acts as a hydrogenating agent with formation of sulphur.

It seems that for the first time the formation of oil-like and bituminous coal-like material could be carried out in the laboratory in just the same way as nature produced from the same raw material those most valuable end products--crude oil and bituminous coals.