The compound exhibits reactions expected for an electrophilic alkynyl aldehyde. It is a dienophile and a good Michael acceptor. Grignard reagents add to the carbonyl center.[1] Its explosive properties are attributed to the exothermicity of its polymerization.[1]
^A. Le Coq and A. Gorgues (1979). "Alkyness via Phase Transfer-Catalyzed Dehydrohalogenatiion: Propiolaldehyde Diethyl Acetal". Organic Syntheses. 59: 10. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.059.0010.
^Zhou, Li; Ralf I. Kaiser (2008), "Pathways to Oxygen-Bearing Molecules in the Interstellar Medium and in Planetary Atmospheres: Cyclopropenone (c-C3H2O) and Propynal (HCCCHO)", The Astrophysical Journal, 686 (2): 1493–1502, doi:10.1086/591072
^Xie, Hong-bin; Chang-bin Shao (2007), "Radical-Molecule Reaction C3H + H2O on Amorphous Water Ice: A Promising Route for Interstellar Propynal", The Astrophysical Journal, 670 (1): 449–456, doi:10.1086/520757