Product Description
Methyl formate (CAS No. 107-31-3), also known as formic acid methyl ester, is a colorless, transparent, and highly volatile organic liquid with a characteristic pleasant odor. It is an important ester compound widely used as a chemical intermediate and functional solvent.
Methyl formate demonstrates good solubility in water, alcohols, and ethers, allowing flexible use in various chemical processes. It can undergo hydrolysis and saponification reactions under suitable conditions, making it a valuable reagent in organic synthesis.
Due to its excellent reactivity and versatility, methyl formate is widely utilized in the manufacture of fragrances, solvents, fine chemicals, bactericides, insecticides, and other specialty chemical products.
With its high purity, favorable chemical properties, and broad application potential, methyl formate serves as an important raw material for modern chemical manufacturing and industrial synthesis.
| Melting point | -100 °C (lit.) |
| Boiling point | 32-34 °C (lit.) |
| density | 0.974 g/mL at 20 °C (lit.) |
| vapor density | 2.1 (vs air) |
| vapor pressure | 32.91 psi ( 55 °C) |
| refractive index | n20/D 1.343(lit.) |
| Fp | −16 °F |
| storage temp. | Store below +30°C. |
| solubility | 300g/l, 25% soluble in water, miscible with alcohol, Propylene glycol, Glycerin and oils. |
| form | Liquid |
| color | Clear colorless |
| Odor | Pleasant; agreeable. |
| PH | 4-5 (200g/l, H2O, 20℃) |
| explosive limit | 5-23%(V) |
| Odor Threshold | 130ppm |
| Odor Type | fruity |
| biological source | synthetic |
| Water Solubility | 300 G/L (20 ºC) |
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.187 W/(m·K) at 25 ℃ |
| λmax | λ: 259 nm Amax: 1.00 |
| λ: 260 nm Amax: 0.70 | |
| λ: 265 nm Amax: 0.20 | |
| λ: 270 nm Amax: 0.04 | |
| λ: 310-400 nm Amax: 0.01 | |
| Merck | 146077 |
| BRN | 1734623 |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0.90 at 5.00 °C, 1.18 at 10.00 °C, 1.51 at 15.00 °C, 1.91 at 20.00 °C, 2.36 at 25.00 °C (column stripping-UV, Kutsuna et al., 2005) |
| Exposure limits | TLV-TWA 100 ppm (～250 mg/m3) (ACGIH, MSHA, and OSHA); TLV-STEL 150 ppm (～375 mg/m3) (ACGIH); IDLH 5000 ppm (NIOSH). |
| Dielectric constant | 8.5（20℃） |
| Stability: | Stable. Extremely flammable. Readily forms explosive mixtures with air. Note low flash point and very wide explosion limits. Incompatible with oxidizing agents. |
| Major Application | cleaning products |
| cosmetics | |
| flavors and fragrances | |
| food and beverages | |
| personal care | |
| InChI | 1S/C2H4O2/c1-4-2-3/h2H,1H3 |
| InChIKey | TZIHFWKZFHZASV-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| SMILES | [H]C(=O)OC |
| LogP | -0.21 at 25℃ |
| CAS DataBase Reference | 107-31-3(CAS DataBase Reference) |
| NIST Chemistry Reference | Methyl formate(107-31-3) |
| EPA Substance Registry System | Methyl formate (107-31-3) |
Applications of Methyl Formate CAS No. 107-31-3
Methyl formate is a versatile organic compound widely used in chemical manufacturing, agricultural formulations, polymer processing, and specialty industrial applications due to its excellent reactivity and solvent properties.
Chemical Manufacturing Applications
Methyl formate serves as an important raw material in the production of cellulose acetate and dimethylformamide (DMF), providing a valuable building block for various chemical synthesis processes.
Agricultural and Pesticide Applications
In the agricultural industry, methyl formate is used as a solvent and formulation component for certain pesticides, including carbendazim, helping improve processing performance and product stability.
Polymer and Resin Applications
Methyl formate can be utilized as a curing-related additive in phenolic resin systems, contributing to improved processing efficiency and material performance.
Fumigation and Specialty Uses
Due to its chemical properties, methyl formate is also applied in fumigation-related processes for selected agricultural products, including fruits and tobacco materials.
With its excellent solvency, chemical versatility, and broad compatibility, methyl formate plays an important role in chemical synthesis, agriculture, polymer materials, and specialty industrial applications.
