Production
In the laboratory, methyl formate can be produced by the condensation reaction of methanol and formic acid, as follows:
- HCOOH + CH3OH → HCOOCH3 + H2O
Industrial methyl formate, however, is usually produced by the combination of methanol and carbon monoxide (carbonylation) in the presence of a strong base, such as sodium methoxide:
- CH3OH + CO → HCOOCH3
This process, practiced commercially by BASF among other companies gives 96% selectivity toward methyl formate, although it can suffer from catalyst sensitivity to water, which can be present in the carbon monoxide feedstock, commonly derived from synthesis gas. Very dry carbon monoxide is, therefore, an essential requirement.
Read more about this topic: Methyl Formate
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—Debbie Taylor (20th century)