  In order to better understand the thermal decomposition of polycyclanes, the
pyrolysis of tricyclodecane has been studied in a jet-stirred reactor at
temperatures from 848 to 933 K, for residence times between 0.5 and 6 s and at
atmospheric pressure, in order to obtain a conversion between 0.01 and 25 %.
The main products of the reaction are hydrogen, methane, ethylene, ethane,
propene, 1,3-cyclopentadiene, cyclopentene, benzene, 1,5-hexadiene, toluene and
3-cyclopentyl-cyclopentene. A primary mechanism containing all the possible
initiation steps, including those involving diradicals, as well as propagation
reactions has been developed and allows experimental results to be
satisfactorily modeled. The main reaction pathways of consumption of
tricyclodecane and of formation of the main products have been derived from
flow rate and sensitivity analyses.

Chemical Physics