Diazomethane
From Academic Kids
A diazo compund is any class of organic substances that have the characteristic atomic grouping: <math>R_2C=N^+=N^-<math> as a part of their molecular structure. R represents a hydrogen atom or any of a large number of organic groups. The most common diazo compound is diazomethane which is a toxic, explosive yellow gas usually prepared as a solution in ether and often used in laboratory procedures for converting carboxylic acids into their methyl esters or into their homologues.
Diazo compounds are usually used to generate their respective carbenes. Thermolytic release of nitrogen is the accepted mechanism.
