The petroleum ether-soluble fraction of Tempoku brown coal depolymerized in phenol with p-toluene sulphonic acid as catalyst was methylated and then fractionated by liquid chromatography. 9-(2-methoxyphenyl)-xanthene, 2-(4-methoxypheny1)-benzofuran, 9-(4-methoxypheny1)-xanthene, xanthone and other four drystalline substances were isolated.