In order to develope an efficient coal liquefaction process, the effect of the pre-treatment of coal on the efficiency of the catalyst has been examined, which was carried out by the solvent swelling of coal in the various solutions of the metal(Fe, Ni) carboxylate. It was found that the accessibility of the catalyst to the active sites in the coal matrix seemed to be significantly improved, and in the case of the iron catalyst the positive effect of the sulfidation process was not observed.