Imidoyl chlorides react readily with water, hydrogen sulfide, amines, and hydrogen halides. Treating imidoyl chlorides with water forms the corresponding amide:
:RC(NR’)Cl + HO → RCONHR’ + HCl
Aliphatic imidoyl chlorides are more sensitive toward hydrolysis than aryl derivatives. Electron-withdrawing substituents decrease the reaction rate.  Imidoyl chlorides react with hydrogen sulfide to produce thioamides:
:RC(NR’)Cl + HS → RC(S)NHR’ + HCl
When amines are treated with imidoyl chlorides, amidines are obtained.
:RC(NR’)Cl + 2R”NH → RC(NR’)NHR” + R”NHCl
When R' ≠ R", two isomers are possible.
Upon heating, imidoyl chlorides also undergo dehydrohalogenation to form nitriles:
:RC(NR’)Cl → RC≡N + R’Cl
Treatment of imidoyl chloride with hydrogen halides, such as HCl, forms the corresponding iminium chloride cations:
:RC(NR’)Cl + HCl → [RC(NHR’)Cl]Cl