Method for producing trimethylcyclododecatriene

A continuous and/or batchwise process for preparing trimethylcyclododecatriene, by reacting isoprene in the presence of a solvent, of at least one catalyst system comprising nickel and/or titanium and of at least one organometallic compound to give crude trimethylcyclododecatriene,

• wherein
• a compound containing at least one element of main group 5 of the Periodic Table of the Elements is added to the catalyst system,
• before the addition of the catalyst component, the solvent contains 10-1000 ppm of a polar component of the general formula HO—R where R is selected from the group which consists of branched and unbranched C1-C18-alkyl, C1-C8-cycloalkyl, C1-C18-aryl, C1-C18-aralkyl and H, and
• the reaction temperature, in the case of a nickel-containing catalyst system, is less than or equal to 140° C. and, in the case of a titanium-containing catalyst system, is less than or equal to 80° C.