Use of different microporous and mesoporous materials as catalyst in the Diels-Alder and retro-Diels-Alder reaction between cyclopentadiene and p-benzoquinone

Diels-Alder cycloaddition has been studied using amorphous silica and different ITQ-2 and MCM-41 pure silica and metal containing materials as catalysts. The introduction of transition metal atoms in the framework increases the reaction rate preserving the selectivity to the endo-endo isomer. The presence of acidic OH groups provoke the retro-Diels-Alder reaction increasing the selectivity to the endo-exo isomer.