Polyynes, formerly known as polyactylenes, are relatively unstable organic compounds with several carbon-carbon triple bonds (analogous to polyenes with several C=C double bonds).
Occurrence: Well over 1000 naturally occurring polyynes have been isolated. They are found in plants, fungi, bacteria, marine sponges and corals. In plants, polyynes occur particularly in the families Asteraceae(composite plants), Apiaceae (umbellifers), Hedera(ivy plants) and Petroselinum crispum(parsley).
Biogenetically, polyols are formed by dehydration from oleic acid or other fatty acids. The simplest representative of polyynes is diacetylene (butadiyne).