https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01121
A residue produced by distillation or heat treatment of coal tar. It is a solid at room temperature, consists of a complex mixture of numerous predominantly aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclics, and exhibits a broad softening range instead of a defined melting temperature.
Note: The hydrogen aromaticity in coal tar pitch (ratio of aromatic to total content of hydrogen atoms) varies from 0.7 to 0.9.