Potassium bisamide (commonly abbreviated as KHMDS, Potassium(K) HexaMethylDiSilazide) is the chemical compound with the formula ((CH₃)₃Si)₂NK. It is a strong, non-nucleophilic base with an approximate pK_a of 26 (compare to lithium diisopropylamide

Lithium diisopropylamide

Lithium diisopropylamide is the chemical compound with the formula [2CH]2NLi. Generally abbreviated LDA, it is a strong base used in organic chemistry for the deprotonation of weakly acidic compounds. The reagent has been widely accepted because it is soluble in non-polar organic solvents and it...

, at 36).

Structure

In the solid state, the unsolvated compound is dimeric, with two potassium and two nitrogen atoms forming a square. This compound is soluble in hydrocarbon solvents, and conducts electricity poorly in solution and in the melt. This is attributed to very strong ion-pairing.