Sodium formate
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| Sodium formate | |
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| General | |
| Other names | formic acid, sodium salt |
| Molecular formula | HCOONa |
| Molar mass | 68.01 g/mol |
| Appearance | white granules deliquescent |
| CAS number | [141-53-7] |
| Properties | |
| Density and phase | 1.92 g/cm3, solid (20°C) |
| Solubility in water | 97g/100g water (20°C) |
| Melting point | 253°C |
| Boiling point | decomposes |
| pH | 7.0-8.5 (0.1M) |
| Hazards | |
| EU classification | not listed |
| NFPA 704 |    |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references |
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Sodium formate, HCOONa, is the sodium salt of formic acid, HCOOH. It usually appears as a white deliquescent powder.
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[edit] Uses
Sodium formate is used in several fabric dying and printing processes. It is also used as a buffering agent for strong mineral acids to increase their pH.
[edit] 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.
or by reacting sodium hydroxide with chloral hydrate.
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- C2HCl3(OH)2 + NaOH → CHCl3 + HCOONa + H2O
The latter method is generally 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.
Commercially sodium formate is produced by absorbing carbon monoxide under pressure in solid sodium hydroxide at 160 °C
