Methyl Formate CAS 107-31-3
Methyl Formate is an ester of formic acid that typically exists as a colorless, clear, and highly volatile liquid at room temperature. It has a characteristic pleasant odor and shows good solubility in water, alcohols, and ethers. The compound can undergo hydrolysis in the presence of moisture and is readily saponified by water or alkaline solutions.
Due to its high volatility, Methyl Formate vapor can form flammable or explosive mixtures with air, with an explosive concentration range of approximately 6.0%–20.0% (v/v). As a valuable organic synthesis intermediate, it is widely used in the manufacture of fragrances, solvents, specialty chemicals, bactericidal products, insecticides, and other chemical derivatives.
Chemical Properties
| 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) |
Product Application of CAS#107-31-3
Methyl Formate is widely used as a chemical raw material in the manufacture of cellulose acetate and dimethylformamide (DMF). It also serves as a solvent for certain pesticides, including carbendazim, and can be used as a curing agent in phenolic resin formulations. In addition, Methyl Formate has applications as a fumigant for selected fruits and tobacco products, making it a useful compound across chemical, agricultural, and industrial processes.
