Abstract
This review covers the methods of preparation and chemical properties of 1-alkoxydienes and 1-alkoxypolyenes. The interest in 1-alkoxydienes arises because they form a basis for the easy production of various classes of organic compounds: aliphatic, carbocyclic, and heterocyclic. 1-Alkoxydienes have acquired the greatest importance in the synthesis of polyenes, including natural compounds of the vitamin A and β-carotene type. The higher cyanine dyes have become accessible on the basis of the 1-alkoxydienes.
The review deals with both theoretical and practical aspects of the chemistry of the 1-alkoxydienes and 1-alkoxypolyenes.
The review surveys all the information available in world literature on the chemistry of the alkoxydienes and is intended for a wide circle of organic chemists, students, and research students. There is a bibliography of 86 references.