Preparation of high energy fuel JP-10 by acidity-adjustable chloroaluminate ionic liquid catalyst

Isomerization of endo-THDCPD into its exo-isomer (JP-10) at a nearly quantitative yield was affected by using the acidity adjustable CIL catalyst. Using the optimized catalyst composition, the endo/exo conversion proceeded at a fast rate and high selectivity without side-reactions of skeletal rearrangement, alkylation, cracking and dimerization.