What is "acetamide"

Acetamide \Ac`et*am"ide\, n. [Acetyl + amide.] (Chem.) A white crystalline solid, from ammonia by replacement of an equivalent of hydrogen by acetyl.

n. (context organic compound English) The amide of acetic acid, CH₃CONH₂.

n. a colorless solid amide of acetic acid used as a solvent and in the synthesis of organic compounds [syn: ethanamide]

Acetamide ( IUPAC: ethanamide) is an organic compound with the formula CHCONH. It is the simplest amide derived from acetic acid. It finds some use as a plasticizer and as an industrial solvent. The related compound N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) is more widely used, but it is not prepared from acetamide.