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Current research and development hotspots in coal chemical industry – (1) Gasification to produce methyl tert-butyl ether. By using a multi-component catalyst, it is possible to produce a mixture containing 60% isobutanol and 40% methanol from syngas; the isobutanol is then dehydrated to isobutylene, thereby enabling the direct production of methyl tert-butyl ether from syngas. This represents a highly promising technical route for producing high-octane additives from natural gas and coal. (2) Producing methanol and various chemical products using coal as raw material. As an important basic chemical raw material, methanol can be further used through carbonylation to produce various important chemical products such as acetic acid, acetic anhydride, methyl formate, formic acid, and oxalic acid. It can also be used in methanol gasoline (either blended or used exclusively), where methanol is converted into dimethyl ether as a substitute for liquefied petroleum gas and diesel, or for use in fuel cells and similar applications. Therefore, downstream products of methanol that can serve as alternatives to petrochemical products represent an important direction for the large-scale development of methanol production in order to enhance market competitiveness. (3) Synthesis of low-carbon hydrocarbons using coal as a raw material. The Methanol to Olefins (MTO) technology was jointly developed by DOP and NOSRK HYDRO. The methanol-to-propylene (MTP) technology developed by Luchi Company is now in the industrial design stage, ready for commercial production. (4) Coal gasification cogeneration technology. Cogeneration is a development trend in new coal chemical industries. A cogeneration system refers to a production system in which various coal conversion technologies are optimized and integrated together with the aim of simultaneously producing multiple high-value chemical products (including aliphatic hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons) as well as various clean secondary energy sources (gaseous fuels, liquid fuels, electricity, etc.). Compared with single-product production, cogeneration enables a hierarchical utilization of coal resources and their value, maximizing the efficiency of value utilization and economic benefits of these resources, while also ensuring the most environmentally friendly approach to their use.