What is an allylic position?

An allylic position is a type of carbon atom in a molecule that is bonded to a carbon-carbon double bond and is also bonded to one or more other carbon atoms. Allylic positions are often found in alkenes and are characterized by the presence of a carbon atom with a single bond to one carbon atom and a double bond to another carbon atom.

Allylic positions are important in organic chemistry because they are reactive sites that are prone to a variety of chemical reactions. For example, allylic positions can undergo electrophilic addition reactions, such as halogenation or hydration, or they can undergo nucleophilic substitution reactions, such as substitution with an alkyl group or an aryl group.

Allylic positions are commonly found in unsaturated fatty acids and in natural products, such as terpenes and steroids. They are also commonly used as intermediates in the synthesis of a wide variety of chemical compounds, including drugs and polymers.