Carboximidates (or less specifically imidates) are organic compounds which can be thought of as esters formed between a carboximidic acid (R-C(=NR')OH) and an alcohol. They have the general formula R-C(=NR')OR".
Carboximidates are also known as imino ethers, since they can be thought of as imines (>C=N-) with an oxygen atom connected to the carbon atom.
Carboximidates find use in organic synthesis as building blocks and intermediates for example in the Mumm rearrangement and the Overman rearrangement. An example of an imidate is benzyl trichloroethanimidate, which is used to protect an alcohol as a benzyl ether with release of trichloroacetamide.
Amidate anions, which are the equivalent resonance structure of imidate anions, can be though of as the corresponding amide enolates, with the formula R-N=C(O-)R. Imidate/amidate anions find use as ligands.