The kinetics of the Diels–Alder addition of cyclopentadiene to acetylene and the decomposition of norbornadiene

The title reactions have been investigated in a static system. The addition of acetylene to cyclopentadiene (CPD) results in formation of norbornadiene (BCH), cycloheptatriene (CHT), and toluene (T), while BCH decomposition produces CPD, C 2 H 2 , CHT, and T. Kinetic studies, comprising both product–time evolution and initial pressure variation, support a mechanism equation image These reactions are almost certainly homogeneous and molecular in nature. Least mean square analysis of the data yield for temperatures of 525–656°K, log k −1 (1./mole·s)=7.51±0.05− (24.19±0.15 kcal/mole)/ RT ln 10, and for temperatures of 584–630°K,