The craking of squalene was studied with and without heterogeneous catalysts. The thermal decomposition of squalene occurred suddenly as a chain reaction above 723 K, yielding linear C5 (isoprene) and C10 hydrocarbons selectively with a conversion of >90%. The decomposition mechanism may involve allyl bi-radicals, ˙CH2–C(CH3)![[double bond, length as m-dash]](http://www.rsc.org/images/entities/char_e001.gif)
CH–CH2˙, intermediates that convert to isoprene, CH2C(CH3)–CHCH2.
