In 2017 Belloche and co-workers reported the tentative detection of trans-N-methylformamide (CH₃NHCHO) toward Sgr B2(N2) based upon rotational spectra measured for the work. The detection drew upon the EMoCA survey, which utilized the IRAM 30m telescope. The ¹⁵N-substituted isotopolog was also tentatively detected toward Sgr B2(N).

N-methylformamide is used in industrial processes as a precursor in chemical synthesis. It is somewhat dangerous to handle.

N-methylformamide is formed by replacing one of the two hydrogen atoms on the nitrogen atom of formamide (NH₂CHO) with the methyl group (hence the N-). Formamide is a well-known astromolecule. Formamide and substituted formamide derivatives such as N-methylformamide and N,N-dimethylformamide share a planar nitrogen atom center that arises from partial π bonding with the neighboring planar carbon atom center.