What is "crotonaldehyde"

n. (context organic compound English) The unsaturated aliphatic aldehyde CH₃-CH=CH-CHO that is used in organic synthesis

Crotonaldehyde is a chemical compound with the formula CHCH=CHCHO. The compound is usually sold as a mixture of the E- and Z-isomers, which differ with respect to the relative position of the methyl and formyl groups. The E-isomer is more common (data given in Table is for the E-isomer). This lachrymatory liquid is moderately soluble in water and miscible in organic solvents. As an unsaturated aldehyde, crotonaldehyde is a versatile intermediate in organic synthesis. It occurs in a variety of foodstuffs, e.g. soybean oils.