We investigated the thermal stability of exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (exo-THDCP, C 10 H 16 ) in the absence and presence of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (THQ), which acts as a hydrogen donor (H-donor). It was found that conversion of exo-THDCP was faster at the higher temperature. The increase in the rate of

Thermal stability and the primary initiation mechanism of exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (exo-THDCP, C10H16) were investigated in a batch-type reactor. The catalytic role of the stainless steel inside the reactor was eliminated by inserting a quartz flask. exo-THDCP decomposed at temperatures over 623 K and 1-cyclopentylcyclopentene (1-CPCP, C10H16) and 4-methyl-2,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydro-1H-indene (4-MHI, C10H16) were the primary decomposition products of exo-THDCP. C10 hydrocarbons were determined to be the major products. The amount of C5−C7 hydrocarbons, such as cyclopentene, benzene, and toluene, were relatively small. We performed the molecular modeling (MM) on some of the compounds, including 1-CPCP and 4-MHI produced from exo-THDCP to evaluate the activation energy and molecular structure of the intermediates. The experimental and MM results showed that 1-CPCP and 4-MHI were independently formed from exo-THDCP. The experimental results closely corresponded with the MM result; the products that were only minimally produced after the reaction had qualitatively higher activation energies than the other products.

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We investigated the thermal stability of exotetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (exo-THDCP, C 10 H 16 ) in the absence and presence of three additives, 3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4benzoxazine (Benzox), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (THQ), and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline (THQox), which act as hydrogen donors (H donors). Conversion of exo-THDCP was slowed in the presence of the H donor. The order of the Hdonor effects on the decrease in the conversion of exo-THDCP was Benzox ≪ THQ < THQox. The H-donor-induced decrease in the conversion of exo-THDCP was smaller at higher temperature. In addition, the H-donor-induced decrease in the rate of