Diimide, also called diazene or diimine, is a compound having the formula HN=NH. It exists as two geometric isomers, E (trans) and Z (cis). The term diazene is more common for organic derivatives of diimide. Thus, azobenzene is an example of an organic diazene.
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👉 Diazene in the context of Azobenzene
Azobenzene is a photoswitchable chemical compound composed of two phenyl rings linked by a N=N double bond. It is the simplest example of an aryl azo compound. The term "azobenzene" or simply "azo" is often used to refer to a wide class of similar compounds. These azo compounds are considered as derivatives of diazene (diimide), and are sometimes referred to as "diazenes". The diazenes absorb light strongly and are common dyes. Different classes of azo dyes exist, most notably the ones substituted with heteroaryl rings.
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Diazene in the context of Azo compound
Azo compounds are organic compounds bearing the functional group diazenyl (R−N=N−R′, in which R and R′ can be either aryl or alkyl groups).
IUPAC defines azo compounds as: "Derivatives of diazene (diimide), HN=NH, wherein both hydrogens are substituted by hydrocarbyl groups, e.g. PhN=NPh azobenzene or diphenyldiazene.", where Ph stands for phenyl group. The more stable derivatives contain two aryl groups. The N=N group is called an azo group (from French azote 'nitrogen', from Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) 'not' and ζωή (zōē) 'life').