Sodium formate

Sodium formate
Identifiers
CAS number 141-53-7 Y
ChemSpider 8517 Y
UNII 387AD98770 Y
EC number 205-488-0
ChEMBL CHEMBL183491 N
Jmol-3D images Image 1
Properties
Molecular formula HCOONa
Molar mass 68.01 g/mol
Appearance white granules
deliquescent
Density 1.92 g/cm3 (20°C)
Melting point

253 °C

Boiling point

decomposes

Solubility in water 55 g/100 mL (20°C)
Solubility insoluble in ether
soluble in glycerol, alcohol
Acidity (pKa) 7.0-8.5 (0.1M)
Hazards
EU classification not listed
NFPA 704
0
1
0
 N (verify) (what is: Y/N?)
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

Sodium formate, HCOONa, is the sodium salt of formic acid, HCOOH. It usually appears as a white deliquescent powder.

Contents

Uses

Sodium formate is used in several fabric dyeing and printing processes. It is also used as a buffering agent for strong mineral acids to increase their pH, and as a food additive (E237).

Preparation

Sodium formate can be prepared in the laboratory by neutralizing formic acid with sodium carbonate. It can also be obtained by reacting chloroform with an alcoholic solution of sodium hydroxide.

CHCl3 + 4NaOH → HCOONa + 3NaCl + 2H2O

or by reacting sodium hydroxide with chloral hydrate.

C2HCl3(OH)2 + NaOHCHCl3 + HCOONa + H2O

The latter method is, in general, preferred to the former because the low aqueous solubility of CHCl3 makes it easier to separate out from the sodium formate solution, by fractional crystallization, than the soluble NaCl would be.

For commercial use, sodium formate is produced by absorbing carbon monoxide under pressure in solid sodium hydroxide at 160 °C.

CO + NaOH → HCOONa

Sodium formate may also be created via the haloform reaction between ethanol and sodium hypochlorite in the presence of a base. This procedure is well documented for the preparation of chloroform.

See also