Definition of nitrile ylides

1. 1,3-Dipolar compounds having the structure RCN+-C-R2 RC-=N+=CR2 RC+=NC-R2 RC:-N=CR2. The uncharged canonical form C:-N=CR2 is called an alkylidene- (or hydrocarbylidene-) amino carbene; the name iminyl carbene is incorrect because iminyl is not a recognised prefix for -N=CR2. See also carbenes, dipolar compounds.