Bases

• A base, when dissolved in water, will pull hydrogen ions (H+) away from the molecules, leaving behind hydroxide ions (OH-). The presence of these ions is what gives bases their characteristic bitterness, slippery texture and reactivity.
  
  

Amides

• An amide is a general term for any compound containing the amide group, a carbon double bonded with an oxygen and attached to a nitrogen, with hydrogens and other hydrocarbon units attached at either end.
  
  

Basic Attraction

• The nitrogen atom has a lot of electron density at one side, with nothing around to block access to it. This allows a positively charged hydrogen ion to easily get stuck there, separating it from a water molecule. This is what makes Amides basic.