Organic Chemistry/Dienes

In alkene chemistry, we demonstrated that allylic carbon could maintain a cation charge because the double bond could de-localize to support the charge. What of having two double bonds separated by a single bond? What of having a compound that alternates between double bond and single bond? In addition to other concepts, this chapter will explore what a having a conjugated system means in terms of stability and reaction.

Dienes are simply hydrocarbons which contain two double bonds. Dienes are intermediate between alkenes and polyenes.

Dienes can divided into three classes:

Unconjugated dienes have the double bonds separated by two or more single bonds. These are also known as isolated dienes.
Conjugated dienes have conjugated double bonds separated by one single bond
Cumulated dienes (cumulenes) have the double bonds sharing a common atom as in a group of compounds called allenes.

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