Greener synthesis route for Jet Propellant-10: the utilization of zeolites to replace AlCl3

This paper summarizes our recent developments in the utilization of H-type zeolites to replace AlCl3 in exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene production. H-type Y zeolites with large pore size (0.74 nm) had sufficient activities for isomerization of endo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (endo-THDCPD) to form exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene (exo-THDCPD). As for acidity strength, the moderate strength of zeolite acidity was favorable. The incorporation of fluorine generated more moderate acids, which improved the catalytic performance of zeolites to exo yield = 92.58%, exo selectivity = 96.47%, and suppressed the adamantane (ADM) yield = 2.32%. When NH4F/SSY = 6.57%, calcined at 500 °C, this showed an equivalent performance as AlCl3.