Development of a practical photochemical energy storage system. Quarterly report. [Interconversion between norbornadiene and quadricyclene for thermochemical heat storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hautala, R.R.; Kutal, C.R.

1977-09-15

It was previously found that the triphenylcyclopropenyl-nickel compound ((C/sub 6/H/sub 5/)/sub 3/C/sub 3/Ni(CO)Br)/sub 2/ (I, X = Br) was an active catalyst for the conversion of quadricyclene to norbornadiene. This result was of considerable interest in connection with the development of the solar energy storage system since it indicated a new type of complex of a relatively abundant metal with potentially useful catalytic properties. For this reason, during this quarter a variety of triphenylcyclopropenyl-nickel derivatives were synthesized in order to determine their structure-activity relationships with respect to catalysis of the conversion of quadricyclene to norbornadiene. Also, a new approach to the development of a polymer-bound catalyst for the conversion of quadricyclene to norbornadiene based on an ion-exchange resin was also explored. Procedures and results are reported. (WHK)