A tar obtained from the destructive distillation of coal. Formerly, coal tar was obtained as a by-product in manufacturing coal gas. Now it is produced in making coke for steel making. The crude tar contains a large number of organic compounds, such as benzene, naphthalene, methylbenzene, phenols, etc., which can be obtained by distillation. The residue is pitch. At one time coal tar was the major source of organic chemicals, most of which are now derived from petroleum and natural gas.