Cyclohexenone is a widely used building block in organic synthesis chemistry, as it offers many different ways to extend molecular frameworks. 
As an enone, cyclohexenone is easily adapted to Michael addition with nucleophiles (such as enolates or silyl enol ethers) or, it could be employed by a Diels-Alder reaction with electron-rich dienes. Furthermore, this compound reacts with organocopper compounds from 1,4-addition (Michael addition), or with Grignard reagents 1,2-addition, i.e., with attack of the nucleophile at the carbonyl carbon atom. Cyclohexenone is also used in multi-step synthesis in the construction of polycyclic natural products. It is prochiral.
With strong bases, the positions 4 and 6 (the two CH-groups of the carbonyl group and the C-C double bond adjacent) are deprotonated.
Cyclohexenone is an in-vitro catalyst for a relatively mild decarboxylation of alpha amino acids.