A heterocumulene is a molecule or ion containing a chain of at least three double bonds between consecutive atoms, in which one or more atoms in the doubly bonded chain is a heteroatom. Such species are analogous to a cumulene in which the chain of doubly bonded atoms contains only carbon, except that at least one carbon is replaced by a heteroatom.[1] Some authors relax the definition to include species with chains of only two double bonds between consecutive atoms,[2] also known as heteroallenes.
Because of the double bond rule, heterocumulenes are rarely isolated. Instead they tend to polymerize. Many are however common in the interstellar medium, where they exist as a dilute gas. Most of the longer ones are very unstable and reactive, and thus have a transient existence, or can only survive when dilute or in an inert matrix. Molecular clouds in space are very dilute and allow heterocumulenes to exist long enough to be detected. Some simple heterocumulenes are common chemicals or ions. These include carbon dioxide, carbon disulfide, carbon diselenide, cyanate, and thiocyanate. Some definitions of heterocumulenes include compounds that contain concatenated double bonds with more than one element, but may have other parts to them. This class includes ketene, sulfur diimide, sulfine, and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Some heterocumulenes can act as ligands with various metals.