Dimerization of norbornadiene to a mixture of exo-endo and endo- endo hexacyclic dimers

摘要

Norbornadiene bicyclo (2.2.1) heptadiene-2,5! is dimerized to a mixture of mainly the exo-endo stereoisomer of the hexacylic dimer of norbornadiene at both an excellent selectivity and conversion using an effective amount of a two component catalytic system of rhodium acetylacetonate and diethylaluminum chloride or ethylaluminum dichloride or aluminum ethylsesquichloride. The mixture also contains the endo-endo stereoisomer and some trimer. After hydrogenation a suitable mixture of the exo-endo and endo-endo dimers can be used as a component of high energy fuel.