DihydroDicyclopentadiene production

A method for the selective catalytic hydrogenation of dicyclopentadiene to dihydroDicyclopentadiene comprising providing a source of dicyclopentadiene, adding to said source at least one solvent that is inert in the presence of the catalyst employed and that is readily separable from dihydroDicyclopentadiene, additionally adding to said source at least one reactive component that promotes the hydrogenation of dicyclopentadiene to dihydroDicyclopentadiene preferentially over tetra hydro dicyclopentadiene and is readily separable from dihydrodicyclopentadiene, said reactive component being at least one compound selected from the group consisting essentially of acetylenes having from 2 to 9, inclusive, carbon atoms per molecule;

• acetylenes with olefinic linkages having from 4 to 9, inclusive, carbon atoms per molecule;
• ketones having from 1 to 7, inclusive, carbon atoms per molecule;
• aldehydes having from 1 to 7, incluse, carbon atoms per molecule;
• and alcohols having from 1 to 6, inclusive, carbon atoms per molecule;
• said solvent being employed in an amount such that the formation of dihydroDicyclopentadiene is favored over that of tetra hydro dicyclopentadiene, and contacting the resulting mixture under reaction conditions with a source of hydrogen and at least one selective hydrogenation catalyst that favors the selective hydrogenation of only one double bond in a diolefin compound.