Allene chemistry

Allenes: The changing landscape of Csp As organic chemists, we continually search for transformations to produce compounds in increasingly efficient and expedient ways, and to synthesize new compounds possessing interesting properties. One particularly appealing strategy is to exploit underutilized functional groups. By using this strategy, novel arrays of atoms that were previously unattainable are made possible. There are hurdles to overcome with this approach, that include, but are not limited to, an incomplete understanding of functional group compatibility issues that may arise during their preparation and/or that may be caused by their presence in subsequent reactions. The focus of this Thematic Series of the Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry is allenes, which even after decades of use can still be classified as an underutilized functional group. However, great advances in the chemistry of allenes have been made since the time when they were thought to be, “difficult to prepare and very reactive, and not commonly encountered ...” [1].