imide

thumb|A general linear imide functional group In organic chemistry, an imide is a functional group consisting of two acyl groups bound to nitrogen. The compounds are structurally related to acid anhydrides, although imides are more resistant to hydrolysis. In terms of commercial applications, imides are best known as components of high-strength polymers, called polyimides. Inorganic imides are also known as solid state or gaseous compounds, and the imido group (=NH) can also act as a ligand.

==Examples== Simple example is diacetamide with the formula , formally the diacetylated derivative of ammonia. Commonly encountered imides, however, are cyclic, being derived from dicarboxylic acids. A common example is succinimide derived from succinic acid and ammonia. The names of these cyclic imides reflect the parent acid.