What is "cumulene"

n. (context organic chemistry English) Any hydrocarbon (or derivative) having three or more cumulative double bonds e.g. R₂C=C=C=CR₂

A cumulene is a hydrocarbon with three or more cumulative (consecutive) double bonds. A member of this compound class is butatriene (which is also called simply cumulene), HC=C=C=CH. Unlike most alkanes and alkenes, cumulenes tend to be rigid, which makes them appealing for molecular nanotechnology. Polyynes are another kind of rigid carbon chains. Cumulenes are found in regions of space where hydrogen is rare (see astrochemistry). Cumulenes containing heteroatoms are called heterocumulenes. An example is carbon suboxide.