Claim: Although distinguished when they act as ligands for transition metals, the names amides (a compound with the general formula RC(=O)NR′R″, where R, R', and R″ represent organic groups or hydrogen atoms) and imidic acids are synonyms describing the same anion.
Evidence: Since amides and imidic acids are tautomers, they form the same anion upon deprotonation. The two names are thus synonyms describing the same anion, although arguably, imidate refers to the resonance contributor on the left, while amidate refers to the resonance contributor on the right. However, they are distinguished when they act as ligands for transition metals, with O-bound species referred to as imidates and N-bound species referred to as amidates. In organic chemistry, an amide, also known as an organic amide or a carboxamide, is a compound with the general formula RC(=O)NR′R″, where R, R', and R″ represent organic groups or hydrogen atoms.