What is "cyclopentenone"

n. (context organic compound English) Any unsaturated alicyclic ketone derived from cyclopentene

2-Cyclopentenone is a hydrocarbon with chemical formula and CAS number 930-30-3. It is structurally similar to cyclopentanone, with the additional feature of α-β unsaturation in the ring system. 2-Cyclopentenone belongs to the cycloalkene ( alkenes which have one or more rings of carbon atoms) class of compounds and is also a ketone (it possesses a carbonyl functional group). It is a liquid at room temperature with a boiling point of 150 °C. It has been isolated from pressure-cooked pork liver by simultaneous steam distillation and continuous solvent extraction.

The term cyclopentenone may also refer to a structural motif wherein the cyclopentenone moiety is a subsection of a larger molecule. In this regard, cyclopentenones are found in a large number of natural products, including jasmone, the aflatoxins, and several prostaglandins.