The oxidation of dicyclopentadiene catalyzed by palladium(II) acetate and benzoquinone in the presence of perchloric acid was studied. Tricyclodecenone in high selectivity (85-98%) at a conversion of dicyclopentadiene up to 76% was obtained. The kinetic model assumed the significant inhibition complexation between dicyclopentadiene and tricyclodecenone with the catalytic species.