Formic acid. Formic or methaneic acid

O formic acid gets its name because its first obtainment was through the distillation of red ants (from the Latin formica = ant), which inject this carboxylic acid through their bite, causing severe pain, swelling and itching.

However, its official nomenclature is methaneic acid, whose structural formula is represented below:

Structural formula of methaneic acid

In addition to ants, methanoic acid is also found in bees, nettles, pine trees and some fruits.

At room temperature it is colorless, liquid, caustic, strong smelling and irritating. This acid is used as a mordant, in the production of carbon monoxide, in the treatment against rheumatism, in the production of oxalic acid, as a germicide, as a disinfectant, and in the production of other products Organic.

Currently, formic acid is obtained through the reaction between carbon monoxide and caustic soda. This reaction is a technique similar to that developed in 1855 by the French chemist Marcellin Berthelot (1827-1907). Next we have this reaction, in which sodium methanoate is first obtained, which, after reacting with sulfuric acid, produces methaneic acid as one of the products:

Reaction to obtain formic acid

Unlike other carboxylic acids, formic acid has the functional group of aldehydes, which gives it the property of acting as a reducer. Reduces Fehling and Tollens reactives, being oxidized to carbon dioxide and water.

Action of formic acid as a reducer


By Jennifer Fogaça
Graduated in Chemistry

Molality. Calculation of Molality of Chemical Solutions

Molality. Calculation of Molality of Chemical Solutions

Molality is the ratio between the amount of matter in a solute (in moles - n1) by the mass in kil...

read more
Pros and Cons of Asbestos Use. Use of asbestos in tiles

Pros and Cons of Asbestos Use. Use of asbestos in tiles

The use of asbestos in roof tiles and water tanks is a very controversial issue, there is a wide...

read more

Obtaining Ammonia: Haber-Bosch process

The process of Haber-Bosch to obtain ammonia it was named after its creators: Fritz Haber (1868 –...

read more