Polyenes

Polyenes, are organic compounds with multiple carbon-carbon (R-CH=CH-[CH=CH-]n -CH=CH-R) double bonds (analogous to polyenes with multiple C-C triple bonds). Depending on the number of double bonds in the molecule, polyenes are divided into:

• Dienes ( 2 double bonds),
• trienes (3 double bonds)
• tetraenes (4 double bonds)
• Pentaenes (5 double bonds)

The simplest polyenes are the hydrocarbons 1,3-butadiene and isoprene, both of which have two C=C double bonds.

The natural polyenes include, for example, the carotenoids and leukotrienes.

Furthermore, fatty acids with several double bonds (polyene fatty acids) like linoleic acid and arachidonic acid belong to this (chemical configuration) group.

Likewise the macrolide antimycotics(polyene antimycotics) nystatin, natamycin and amphotericin B.