The First Century of Ketenes (1905–2005): The Birth of a Versatile Family of Reactive Intermediates

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An explosive history: Diphenylketene was isolated and identified by Staudinger (see photo) in 1905, as the first example of this class of highly reactive compounds. Others had previously generated these species, but missed the opportunity to claim their discovery. This Essay provides an enlightening view of the history behind these useful reagents.