Amide

An amide is a compound with the functional group R_nE(O)_xNR'₂ (R and R' refer to H or organic groups). Most common are "organic amides" (n = 1, E = C, x = 1), but many other important types of amides are known including phosphor amides (n = 2, E = P, x = 1 and many related formulas) and sulfonamides (E = S, x= 2). The term amide refers both to classes of compounds and to the functional group (R_nE(O)_xNR'₂) within those compounds.

Amide can also refer to the conjugate base of ammonia (the anion H₂N–) or of an organic amine (an anion R₂N–). For discussion of these "anionic amides," see Metal amides#Alkali metal amides.

The remainder of this article is about the carbonyl-nitrogen sense of amide.