This
review article will consider the preparation and application
of ynones in synthetic organic chemistry. Concerning the preparation
of these bifunctional compounds, several methodologies starting from
propargyl alcohols, acyl derivatives, both by using alkynylmetal reagents
or by transition metal (mainly palladium and copper) catalyzed alkynylations,
carbon monoxide (carbonylation of terminal alkynes and alkenes), and
other substrates will be discussed. The reactivity and synthetic applications
of ynones will be focused on conjugate additions with boron-, carbon-,
nitrogen-, oxygen-, and other heteroatom-containing nucleophiles,
as well as radicals. Then, cycloaddition processes will include [2
+ 2] cycloadditions, [3 + 2] 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions (with azides,
nitrones, azomethine imines and ylides, nitrile oxides, diazo compounds,
and other dipoles), and [4 + 2] cycloadditions (mainly Diels–Alder-type
reactions). The reduction of the triple bond, addition to the carbonyl
group (using carbon- and heteronucleophiles and reductions), and other
not so commonly used processes (such as aldol reactions, cyclizations,
and isomerizations) will be considered at the end.