Understanding chemical composition of organic matter in oil shales in detail is of importance to both organic geochemistry and efficient utilization of oil shales. Because of low boiling point and good penetrability, carbon disulfide was used for extraction of organic matter from solid fossils. In the present study, oil shale samples from Fushun, Longkou and Huadian deposits of China were extracted with carbon disulfide, and extraction solutions were analyzed with gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The results show that alkanes, including a series of normal alkanes, isoprenoids and cyclanes, are predominant in extraction solutions. Other compounds detected in the extraction solutions are alkenes, alkylated arenes and organo-oxygen compounds. Normal alkanes are predominant in the carbon disulfide-extractable fraction (CDEF)from Huadian oil shale. CDEF from Longkou oil shale contains much more alkanes than those from other two oil shales, whereas CDEF from Fushun oil shale contains more cyclanes than those from other two oil shale deposits.