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.