Hydrogenation reactions of some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including anthracene, 9-phenylanthracene (9-PA) and 9,10-diphenylanthracene (9,10-DPA), were carried out under moderate reaction conditions (with the initial hydrogen pressure of 5 MPa at room temperature, reaction temperature was 300 degrees C) over a solid superacid (SSA). The results showed that the reactivity of the PAHs decreased in the order of anthracene >9-PA > 9,10-DPA. It was found that not only the hydrogenation and the reversible dehydrogenation through hydrogen atom transfer, but also disproportionation reaction by intermolecular hydrogen transfer took place in the process of PAHs reactions. The catalyst proved to be versatile for the hydrogenation of anthracene and 9-PA through biatomic hydrogen transfer (BAHT) and for the hydrocraking of 9,10-DPA by monatomic hydrogen transfer (MAHT). The SSA is able to catalyze the cleavage of the C-ar-C-ar bridge bond in 9,10-DPA to produce 9-PA and benzene, in which the key step is the generation of the mobile H+ as well as the H+ transferring to the ipso-position of anthracene ring in 9,10-DPA. The SSA has the selectivity to catalyze the hydrogenation or hydrocracking of different PAHs. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.