Formic Acid

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  • Identifiers

    CAS number
    64-18-6

    Molecular formula
    CH2O2

    SMILES
    C(=O)O

    Safety labels

    Flammable
    Flammable

    Corrosive
    Corrosive

    Acute Toxic
    Acute Toxic

    Retention indicies (RI)

    • Carbowax: 1445.0

  • Odor profile

    Fragrance
    Fruity 73.07%
    Sharp 55.5%
    Pungent 53.95%
    Odorless 45.94%
    Ethereal 40.77%
    Sour 38.1%
    Fermented 35.22%
    Cheesy 27.51%
    Winey 23.24%
    Rummy 22.91%

     

    Flavor
    Pungent 60.31%
    Odorless 46.41%
    Vinegar 45.63%
    Sour 29.85%
    Formyl 28.67%
    Mustard 27.17%
    Sharp 25.18%
    Bitter 22.62%
    Rancid 22.43%
    Soy 22.43%

     

    Odor impact est.
    High

    Odor threshold

    • Odor Threshold Low: 1.6 [mmHg]. Odor Threshold High: 340.0 [mmHg]. Odor threshold from AIHA
    • Water: 1700 mg/L; air 49 uL/L; Odor safety class E. E= less than 10% of attentive persons can detect TLV concentration in the air.
    • Detection threshold: 4.50x10+2 mg/L (liq) and 4.50x10-1 mg/L (gas) /Purity not specified/
    • Detection threshold: 6.25x10-1 ppm, 6.25x10-2 ppm and 8.30x10+1 ppm /Medium water; purity not specified/
    • Detection threshold: 1.50x10+3 ppm /Purity not specified/
    • For more Odor Threshold (Complete) data for FORMIC ACID (6 total), please visit the HSDB record page.

  • Properties

    XLogP3-AA
    -0.2

    pKa est.
    7.24 (neutral)

    Molecular weight
    46.025 g/mol

    Vapor pressure est.

    • hPa @ 20°C
    • hPa @ 25°C

    Evaporation rate
    Ultra fast

    Melting point expt.

    • 47.1 °F (NTP, 1992)
    • 8.3 °C
    • 8.4 °C
    • 8 °C
    • 20 °F (90% solution)

    Boiling point

    • 213.3 °F at 760 mmHg (NTP, 1992)
    • 101 °C
    • 224 °F (90% solution)

    Flash point

    • 80.56 ˚C est.
    • 156 °F (NTP, 1992)
    • 156 °F
    • 156 °F (69 °C) (closed cup); 90% soln: 122 °F (50 °C) (closed cup)
    • 138 °F, open cup
    • 45 °C
    • 122 °F (90% solution, open-cup)
    • (oc) 122 °F (90% solution)

    Solubility expt.

    • greater than or equal to 100 mg/mL at 70 °F (NTP, 1992)
    • 1000000 mg/L (at 25 °C)
    • Miscible with ether, acetone, ethyl acetate, methanol, ethanol; partially soluble in benzene, toluene, xylenes
    • Dissolves to the extent of about 10% in benzene, toluene, and xylenes, and to a lesser extent in aliphatic hydrocarbons.
    • Miscible with water
    • 1000.0 mg/mL
    • Solubility in water: miscible
    • miscible with water, alcohol, glycerin, ether
    • Miscible

  • Synonyms

    • formic acid
    • 64-18-6
    • Methanoic acid
    • Formylic acid
    • Aminic acid
    • Bilorin
    • Hydrogen carboxylic acid
    • Formisoton
    • Formira
    • Myrmicyl
    • Collo-bueglatt
    • Collo-didax
    • Acide formique
    • Add-F
    • Ameisensaeure
    • C1 acid
    • Formic acid (natural)
    • RCRA waste number U123
    • Mierenzuur
    • Acido formico
    • Formicum acidum
    • Kwas metaniowy
    • Kyselina mravenci
    • FEMA No. 2487
    • Mierenzuur [Dutch]
    • Ameisensaure
    • HCOOH
    • Sybest
    • Ameisensaeure [German]
    • Acide formique [French]
    • Acido formico [Italian]
    • Kwas metaniowy [Polish]
    • CCRIS 6039
    • EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 214900
    • Kyselina mravenci [Czech]
    • AI3-24237
    • Methanoic acid monomer
    • methoic acid
    • HCO2H
    • HSDB 1646
    • RCRA waste no. U123
    • EINECS 200-579-1
    • UNII-0YIW783RG1
    • UN1779
    • 0YIW783RG1
    • CHEBI:30751
    • H-COOH
    • MFCD00003297
    • Wonderbond Hardener M 600L
    • DTXSID2024115
    • EC 200-579-1
    • aminate
    • formylate
    • methanoate
    • VARROMED COMPONENT FORMIC ACID
    • Formic acid [UN1779] [Corrosive]
    • Formic Acid, 85%
    • Formic Acid, 97+%
    • hydrogen carboxylate
    • FORMIC ACID (MART.)
    • FORMIC ACID [MART.]
    • FORMIC ACID (USP-RS)
    • FORMIC ACID [USP-RS]
    • FORMIC ACID (EP MONOGRAPH)
    • FORMIC ACID [EP MONOGRAPH]
    • MFCD00037363
    • FORMIC ACID (EMA EPAR VETERINARY)
    • FORMIC ACID [EMA EPAR VETERINARY]
    • Unsaturated Fatty Acid
    • carboxy
    • Amasil
    • Acidum formicum
    • forrnic acid
    • Provita Konquest
    • Pleo Form
    • fatty acid 12:2
    • fatty acid 17:3
    • Formic acid, natural
    • fatty acid(12:2)
    • fatty acid(17:3)
    • ProvitaHoofsure Endurance
    • Formic Acid, ACS Grade
    • FORMIC ACID [MI]
    • bmse000203
    • FORMIC ACID [FCC]
    • Formic acid 98-100%
    • Formic acid, 95-97%
    • FORMIC ACID [FHFI]
    • FORMIC ACID [HSDB]
    • Formic acid, LC/MS Grade
    • FORMIC ACID [VANDF]
    • FEMA No 2487
    • Formic acid, p.a., 85%
    • FORMIC ACID [WHO-DD]
    • Provita Hoofsure Endurance XL
    • Formic acid, AR, >=90%
    • Formic acid, AR, >=98%
    • Formic acid, LR, >=85%
    • Formic acid, LR, >=98%
    • FORMICUM ACIDUM [HPUS]
    • CHEMBL116736
    • DTXCID904115
    • Formic acid, purum, >=85%
    • CHEBI:36036
    • DTXSID30180329
    • CHEBI:191874
    • CHEBI:232780
    • CHEBI:232781
    • CHEBI:232866
    • CHEBI:232867
    • Provita Hoofsure Endurance Express
    • BCP23013
    • Formic Acid Ampoules (LCMS Grade)
    • Formic acid, >=95%, FCC, FG
    • Formic acid, technical grade, 85%
    • CS0117
    • Formic acid, ACS reagent, >=96%
    • STL264243
    • Formic acid, reagent grade, >=95%
    • AKOS000269044
    • Formic acid, ACS reagent, 88-91%
    • CCG-266004
    • DB01942
    • FA 12:2
    • MSK000744-100W
    • UN 1779
    • Formic acid, ACS reagent, >=96.0%
    • USEPA/OPP Pesticide Code: 214900

  • Applications

    Formic acid (HCOOH, CAS 64-18-6) is the simplest carboxylic acid yet its reactivity grants it wide-ranging uses: in leather tanning it rapidly reduces pH, cleans hides and fixes dyes for supple, durable leather; in dyeing wool, cotton and polyester it replaces harsher mineral acids; natural-rubber makers spray it into latex to coagulate polyisoprene cost-effectively; its bacteriostatic action preserves animal feed and silage by suppressing spoilage microbes; beekeepers vaporise it to control Varroa mites; metal refiners and electroplaters apply it as a polishing, complexing and buffering agent; in pharmaceutical, agrochemical and fragrance manufacture it is a C1 building block for formates, formamides, anhydrides and other intermediates; potassium or sodium formate brines derived from it serve as low-corrosion de-icers for runways and as high-density drilling fluids; energy research explores formic acid as a liquid hydrogen carrier and as a fuel in direct formic acid fuel cells; it also functions as solvent, cleaning agent, pH adjuster, catalyst and colour-stripping reagent for paper pulp.

    gpt-5-nano

  • Solubility @25˚C

    Solvent Solubility (g/L)
    ethanol 87.44
    methanol 237.7
    isopropanol 51.68
    water 611.01
    ethyl acetate 21.09
    n-propanol 47.57
    acetone 91.27
    n-butanol 31.4
    acetonitrile 75.8
    DMF 1520.32
    toluene 3.1
    isobutanol 27.1
    1,4-dioxane 55.34
    methyl acetate 48.88
    THF 56.65
    2-butanone 34.06
    n-pentanol 18.81
    sec-butanol 26.47
    n-hexane 0.93
    ethylene glycol 200.61
    NMP 483.91
    cyclohexane 1.71
    DMSO 756.91
    n-butyl acetate 9.99
    n-octanol 7.84
    chloroform 5.84
    n-propyl acetate 13.66
    acetic acid 202.66
    dichloromethane 13.45
    cyclohexanone 37.2
    propylene glycol 102.21
    isopropyl acetate 10.26
    DMAc 641.56
    2-ethoxyethanol 90.93
    isopentanol 19.26
    n-heptane 1.41
    ethyl formate 53.57
    1,2-dichloroethane 15.33
    n-hexanol 10.4
    2-methoxyethanol 226.62
    isobutyl acetate 5.91
    tetrachloromethane 2.08
    n-pentyl acetate 8.02
    transcutol 86.22
    n-heptanol 7.09
    ethylbenzene 1.79
    MIBK 9.48
    2-propoxyethanol 46.36
    tert-butanol 49.12
    MTBE 13.45
    2-butoxyethanol 29.69
    propionic acid 101.96
    o-xylene 4.57
    formic acid 431.64
    diethyl ether 13.61
    m-xylene 3.05
    p-xylene 2.58
    chlorobenzene 3.95
    dimethyl carbonate 53.89
    n-octane 0.58
    formamide 501.3
    cyclopentanone 58.37
    2-pentanone 20.43
    anisole 11.03
    cyclopentyl methyl ether 17.52
    gamma-butyrolactone 101.52
    1-methoxy-2-propanol 102.46
    pyridine 36.35
    3-pentanone 16.91
    furfural 134.91
    n-dodecane 0.58
    diethylene glycol 91.1
    diisopropyl ether 3.19
    tert-amyl alcohol 29.65
    acetylacetone 29.26
    n-hexadecane 0.61
    acetophenone 15.89
    methyl propionate 38.73
    isopentyl acetate 7.0
    trichloroethylene 17.06
    n-nonanol 6.9
    cyclohexanol 20.44
    benzyl alcohol 19.68
    2-ethylhexanol 5.29
    isooctanol 5.23
    dipropyl ether 8.32
    1,2-dichlorobenzene 5.08
    ethyl lactate 23.97
    propylene carbonate 39.1
    n-methylformamide 475.36
    2-pentanol 14.48
    n-pentane 1.53
    1-propoxy-2-propanol 29.0
    1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate 15.99
    2-(2-methoxypropoxy) propanol 32.09
    mesitylene 2.53
    ε-caprolactone 37.92
    p-cymene 2.39
    epichlorohydrin 53.58
    1,1,1-trichloroethane 4.35
    2-aminoethanol 164.26
    morpholine-4-carbaldehyde 330.83
    sulfolane 172.88
    2,2,4-trimethylpentane 0.83
    2-methyltetrahydrofuran 25.53
    n-hexyl acetate 9.89
    isooctane 0.51
    2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol 37.15
    sec-butyl acetate 5.97
    tert-butyl acetate 8.79
    decalin 0.71
    glycerin 203.56
    diglyme 83.25
    acrylic acid 160.61
    isopropyl myristate 4.16
    n-butyric acid 50.7
    acetyl acetate 14.44
    di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 8.54
    ethyl propionate 13.57
    nitromethane 371.13
    1,2-diethoxyethane 14.48
    benzonitrile 16.63
    trioctyl phosphate 6.2
    1-bromopropane 4.9
    gamma-valerolactone 131.8
    n-decanol 5.45
    triethyl phosphate 8.06
    4-methyl-2-pentanol 6.82
    propionitrile 34.76
    vinylene carbonate 50.14
    1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane 98.03
    DMS 16.69
    cumene 1.84
    2-octanol 4.63
    2-hexanone 11.1
    octyl acetate 6.97
    limonene 3.63
    1,2-dimethoxyethane 118.91
    ethyl orthosilicate 6.74
    tributyl phosphate 6.83
    diacetone alcohol 26.66
    N,N-dimethylaniline 14.1
    acrylonitrile 76.63
    aniline 16.47
    1,3-propanediol 120.29
    bromobenzene 2.25
    dibromomethane 6.21
    1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane 15.35
    2-methyl-cyclohexyl acetate 6.62
    tetrabutyl urea 15.94
    diisobutyl methanol 3.92
    2-phenylethanol 10.79
    styrene 2.6
    dioctyl adipate 9.72
    dimethyl sulfate 116.46
    ethyl butyrate 10.34
    methyl lactate 70.57
    butyl lactate 15.45
    diethyl carbonate 8.65
    propanediol butyl ether 36.13
    triethyl orthoformate 9.32
    p-tert-butyltoluene 2.33
    methyl 4-tert-butylbenzoate 17.93
    morpholine 90.37
    tert-butylamine 19.42
    n-dodecanol 4.46
    dimethoxymethane 150.19
    ethylene carbonate 35.67
    cyrene 42.29
    2-ethoxyethyl acetate 14.08
    2-ethylhexyl acetate 5.34
    1,2,4-trichlorobenzene 6.48
    4-methylpyridine 31.21
    dibutyl ether 4.99
    2,6-dimethyl-4-heptanol 3.92
    DEF 92.8
    dimethyl isosorbide 33.82
    tetrachloroethylene 11.92
    eugenol 25.79
    triacetin 17.95
    span 80 25.72
    1,4-butanediol 60.82
    1,1-dichloroethane 6.81
    2-methyl-1-pentanol 11.82
    methyl formate 281.32
    2-methyl-1-butanol 19.87
    n-decane 0.76
    butyronitrile 24.7
    3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol 5.58
    1-chlorooctane 2.0
    1-chlorotetradecane 1.17
    n-nonane 0.73
    undecane 0.64
    tert-butylcyclohexane 0.62
    cyclooctane 0.77
    cyclopentanol 31.84
    tetrahydropyran 21.79
    tert-amyl methyl ether 11.31
    2,5,8-trioxanonane 62.14
    1-hexene 2.35
    2-isopropoxyethanol 39.16
    2,2,2-trifluoroethanol 142.48
    methyl butyrate 22.78

    Scent© AI

1 4

IFRA standard 51

Recommendation
No restriction
Maximum acceptable concentrations in the finished product (%)
Category 1
Products applied to the lips
 No restriction Category 7A
Rinse-off products applied to the hair with some hand contact
 No restriction
Category 2
Products applied to the axillae
 No restriction Category 7B
Leave-on products applied to the hair with some hand contact
 No restriction
Category 3
Products applied to the face/body using fingertips
 No restriction Category 8
Products with significant anogenital exposure
 No restriction
Category 4
Products related to fine fragrance
 No restriction Category 9
Products with body and hand exposure, primarily rinse off
 No restriction
Category 5A
Body lotion products applied to the body using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 10A
Household care products with mostly hand contact
 No restriction
Category 5B
Face moisturizer products applied to the face using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 10B
Household care products with mostly hand contact, including aerosol/spray products (with potential leave-on skin contact)
 No restriction
Category 5C
Hand cream products applied to the hands using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 11A
Products with intended skin contact but minimal transfer of fragrance to skin from inert substrate without UV exposure
 No restriction
Category 5D
Baby Creams, baby Oils and baby talc
 No restriction Category 11B
Products with intended skin contact but minimal transfer of fragrance to skin from inert substrate with potential UV exposure
 No restriction
Category 6
Products with oral and lip exposure
 No restriction Category 12
Products not intended for direct skin contact, minimal or insignificant transfer to skin
 No restriction

Botanical

Name CAS Botanical Proportion
Carrot seed (France) 1 8015-88-1 Daucus carota L., fam. Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) 0.01%
Pineapple pulp Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., fam. Bromeliaceae 0.26%