Synthesis of JP-10 analogues high-density fuels via one-pot Diels-Alder/hydrodeoxygenation reaction

JP-10 is the most widely used petroleum based fuel in military aircraft due to its high energy density and excellent cryogenic properties. However, the high price and low availability limit its application in civil aviation. Herein, JP-10 analogues fuel was first synthesized via one-pot Diels-Alder/hydrodeoxygenation reaction using biomass-derived furans and petroleum-derived norbornene. Hβ zeolite with Si/Al ratio of 25 exhibits the best catalytic performance (yield of 75.9 %) for Diels-Alder reaction ascribed to its large surface area and high acid concentration, especially the high ratio of Brønsted/Lewis acid sites. Kinetics research indicates that Diels-Alder reaction of norbornene and 2-methylfuran shows the apparent activation energy of 45.67 kJ/mol, much lower than that of norbornene dimerization (52.48 kJ/mol) and 2-methylfuran trimerization (63.61 kJ/mol). Importantly, the synthesized fuel has much higher density, volumetric neat heat of combustion and better cryogenic viscosity (0.943 g mL⁻¹, 40.39 MJ/L and 12.9 mm² s⁻¹ at −40 °C) than classic JP-10 fuel (0.936 g mL⁻¹, 39.41 MJ/L and 18.6 mm² s⁻¹ at −40 °C). This work provides an efficient and promising route to produce high-performance JP-10 fuel alternatives through co-conversion of biomass and petroleum derivatives.