Meaning & use
imide
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Meaning
nouncountablechemistry
A chemical compound in which a nitrogen atom is bonded to two carbonyl (C=O) groups.
Grammar: Often used in compounds: polyimide, a plastic made of imide units.
Patterns
- an imide group
- imide ring
Succinimide is a simple cyclic imide.
The chemist built the polymer from repeating imide units.
An imide can be made by heating an anhydride with ammonia.
Word forms
| plural | imides |
|---|
Common combinations
- cyclic imide
- A cyclic imide has the nitrogen atom inside a ring.
- imide group
- The imide group makes the molecule very stable.
- imide ring
- The imide ring forms when the two acid groups react.
- aromatic imide
- Aromatic imides are used in heat-resistant films.
- imide polymer
- An imide polymer can survive high temperatures.
Synonyms and how they differ
- diacylamine
- Diacylamine is a more systematic name that describes the structure, but it is rarely used compared with imide.
- imido compound
- Imido compound is sometimes used for related nitrogen compounds and is less specific than imide.
Word family
- polyimide noun
- a tough heat-resistant polymer made of imide units
- imidic adjective
- relating to imides
- imidization noun
- the process of forming imide rings
Commonly confused: imide or amide? imide or imine?
imide vs amide
An amide has one carbonyl group attached to nitrogen, while an imide has two, so the two classes behave differently.
imide vs imine
An imine has a carbon-nitrogen double bond and no carbonyl groups on nitrogen, so it is a different class from an imide.
Practice
What structural feature defines an imide?
Choose one answer.
An imide has two carbonyl groups on one nitrogen. One carbonyl describes an amide, and a C=N bond describes an imine.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “imide”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.