Definition of nitrene

Generic name for HN: and substitution derivatives thereof, containing an electrically neutral univalent nitrogen atom with four non-bonding electrons. Two of these are paired; the other two may have parallel spins (triplet state) or antiparallel spins (singlet state). The name is the strict analogue of carbene and, as a generic name, it is preferred to a number of alternatives proposed ("imene", "imine radical", "azene", "azylene", "azacarbene", "imin", "imidogen"). See LWOWSKI (1970).