A kinetic model of the cycloaddition reactions between cyclopentadiene and 1,3-butadiene for synthesis of 5-vinyl-2-norbornene

Abstract

Under high temperature and pressure, a continuous tubular reactor was successfully utilized to investigate the kinetics of 5-vinyl-2-norbornene (VNB) production. The process involved multiple cycloaddition reactions between cyclopentadiene (CPD) and 1,3-butadiene (BD). The results, spanning a wide range of operating conditions, indicate that higher temperature (180°C) and proper residence time (72 min) were conducive to efficient synthesis of VNB. The apparent kinetic parameters, including activation energies and pre-exponential factors, were acquired by fitting experimental data under integral operating conditions. The kinetic model was proven effective from a practical point of view in predicting the concentration changes of each product in the range 140 to 180°C and 30 to 80 wt.% concentration. This work provides a solid basis for the optimization of the VNB synthesis process.