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Formamides are a class of formic acid amides, characterized by the presence of an amide group attached to a formyl group (–CONH₂ or substituted variants). In general, formamides may have hydrogen or organic groups attached to the nitrogen atom, and are valuable as industrial solvents, intermediates in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and as reagents or media in synthetic organic chemistry.

Simple formamides—including formamide (HCONH₂) and its common N-alkyl analogues like N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)—are liquids under standard conditions.

These simple formamides are chiefly produced through the reaction of carbon monoxide with ammonia, primary or secondary amines in the presence of a catalyst—an efficient, continuous process widely used in the chemical industry:

R₁, R₂ = Alkyl- (e.g. methyl-, ethyl-), H- radicals.

Liquid