What is "dimethylformamide"

n. (context organic compound English) The methyl substituted amide HCO-N(CH₃)₂ used as a polar solvent

Dimethylformamide is an organic compound with the formula ( CH)NC(O)H. Commonly abbreviated as DMF (although this acronym is sometimes used for dimethylfuran, or dimethyl fumarate), this colourless liquid is miscible with water and the majority of organic liquids. DMF is a common solvent for chemical reactions. Dimethylformamide is odorless whereas technical grade or degraded samples often have a fishy smell due to impurity of dimethylamine. As its name indicates, it is a derivative of formamide, the amide of formic acid. DMF is a polar ( hydrophilic) aprotic solvent with a high boiling point. It facilitates reactions that follow polar mechanisms, such as S2 reactions.