what are azo compounds
Azo compounds are compounds bearing the functional group R-N=N-R', in which R and R' can be either aryl or alkyl.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..The more stable derivatives contain two aryl groups.liphatic azo compounds (R and/or R' = aliphatic) are less commonly encountered than the aryl azo compounds. A commercially important alkyl azo compound is azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), which is widely used as an initiator in free radical polymerizations and other radical-induced reactions.