Methyl formate

• Formula: C₂H₄O₂
• Molecular weight: 60.0520
• IUPAC Standard InChI: InChI=1S/C2H4O2/c1-4-2-3/h2H,1H3 Copy

  
• IUPAC Standard InChIKey: TZIHFWKZFHZASV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copy
• CAS Registry Number: 107-31-3
• Chemical structure:
  This structure is also available as a 2d Mol file or as a computed 3d SD file
  The 3d structure may be viewed using Java or Javascript.
• Other names: Formic acid, methyl ester; Methyl methanoate; HCOOCH3; Formiate de methyle; Methylester kyseliny mravenci; Methylformiaat; Methylformiat; Mravencan methylnaty; UN 1243; Methyl ester of formic acid; Methanoic acid methyl ester
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• Information on this page:
  • Gas phase ion energetics data
  • Gas Chromatography
  • References
  • Notes
• Other data available:
  • Gas phase thermochemistry data
  • Condensed phase thermochemistry data
  • Phase change data
  • Reaction thermochemistry data
  • Henry's Law data
  • IR Spectrum
  • Mass spectrum (electron ionization)
  • Vibrational and/or electronic energy levels
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  • Gas Phase Kinetics Database
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Gas phase ion energetics data

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Data compilation copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Data evaluated as indicated in comments:
HL - Edward P. Hunter and Sharon G. Lias
L - Sharon G. Lias

Data compiled as indicated in comments:
B - John E. Bartmess
LL - Sharon G. Lias and Joel F. Liebman
LBLHLM - Sharon G. Lias, John E. Bartmess, Joel F. Liebman, John L. Holmes, Rhoda D. Levin, and W. Gary Mallard
LLK - Sharon G. Lias, Rhoda D. Levin, and Sherif A. Kafafi
RDSH - Henry M. Rosenstock, Keith Draxl, Bruce W. Steiner, and John T. Herron

View reactions leading to C₂H₄O₂⁺ (ion structure unspecified)

Ionization energy determinations

Appearance energy determinations

De-protonation reactions

C₂H₃O₂^- +  =

By formula: C₂H₃O₂^- + H⁺ = C₂H₄O₂

C₂H₃O₂^- +  =

By formula: C₂H₃O₂^- + H⁺ = C₂H₄O₂

Gas Chromatography

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Data compilation copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Data compiled by: NIST Mass Spectrometry Data Center, William E. Wallace, director

Kovats' RI, non-polar column, isothermal

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Kovats' RI, non-polar column, custom temperature program

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Kovats' RI, polar column, isothermal

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Normal alkane RI, non-polar column, temperature ramp

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Normal alkane RI, non-polar column, custom temperature program

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Normal alkane RI, polar column, custom temperature program

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References

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Data compilation copyright by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on behalf of the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

Hunter and Lias, 1998
Hunter, E.P.; Lias, S.G., Evaluated Gas Phase Basicities and Proton Affinities of Molecules: An Update, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data, 1998, 27, 3, 413-656, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.556018 . [all data]

Waterstradt, Jung, et al., 1994
Waterstradt, E.; Jung, R.; Belling, T.; Muller-Dethlefs, K., Zero kinetic energy (ZEKE) photoelectron spectrum and coincident mass spectra of methyl formate, Ber. Bunsen-Ges. Phys. Chem., 1994, 98, 176. [all data]

Cannington and Ham, 1985
Cannington, P.H.; Ham, N.S., He(II) photoelectron spectra of esters, J. Electron Spectrosc. Relat. Phenom., 1985, 36, 203. [all data]

Kimura, Katsumata, et al., 1981
Kimura, K.; Katsumata, S.; Achiba, Y.; Yamazaki, T.; Iwata, S., Ionization energies, Ab initio assignments, and valence electronic structure for 200 molecules in Handbook of HeI Photoelectron Spectra of Fundamental Organic Compounds, Japan Scientific Soc. Press, Tokyo, 1981. [all data]

Benoit, Harrison, et al., 1977
Benoit, F.M.; Harrison, A.G.; Lossing, F.P., Hydrogen migrations in mass spectrometry III-Energetics of formation of [R'CO₂H₂]⁺ in the mass spectra of R'CO₂R, Org. Mass Spectrom., 1977, 12, 78. [all data]

Sweigart and Turner, 1972
Sweigart, D.A.; Turner, D.W., Lone pair orbitals and their interactions studied by photoelectron spectroscopy. I. Carboxylic acids and their derivatives, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1972, 94, 5592. [all data]

Watanabe, Nakayama, et al., 1962
Watanabe, K.; Nakayama, T.; Mottl, J., Ionization potentials of some molecules, J. Quant. Spectry. Radiative Transfer, 1962, 2, 369. [all data]

Benoit and Harrison, 1977
Benoit, F.M.; Harrison, A.G., Predictive value of proton affinity. Ionization energy correlations involving oxygenated molecules, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1977, 99, 3980. [all data]

Rao, 1975
Rao, C.N.R., Lone-pair ionization bands of chromophores in the photoelectron spectra of organic molecules, Indian J. Chem., 1975, 13, 950. [all data]

Nishimura, Zha, et al., 1987
Nishimura, T.; Zha, Q.; Meisels, G.G., Unimolecular dissociation of energy-selected methyl formate ion, J. Chem. Phys., 1987, 87, 4589. [all data]

Haney and Franklin, 1969
Haney, M.A.; Franklin, J.L., Excess energies in mass spectra of some oxygen-containing organic compounds, J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans., 1969, 65, 1794. [all data]

King and Long, 1958
King, A.B.; Long, F.A., Mass spectra of some simple esters and their interpretation by quasi-equilibrium theory, J. Chem. Phys., 1958, 29, 374. [all data]

VanRaalte and Harrison, 1963
VanRaalte, D.; Harrison, A.G., Ionization and dissociation of formate esters by electron impact, Can. J. Chem., 1963, 41, 2054. [all data]

Graul and Squires, 1988
Graul, S.T.; Squires, R.R., On the Existence of Alkyl Carbanions in the Gas Phase, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1988, 110, 2, 607, https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00210a054 . [all data]

DePuy, Grabowski, et al., 1985
DePuy, C.H.; Grabowski, J.J.; Bierbaum, V.M.; Ingemann, S.; Nibbering, N.M.M., Gas-phase reactions of anions with methyl formate and N,N-dimethylformamide, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1985, 107, 1093. [all data]

Becerra, Sánchez, et al., 1982
Becerra, M.R.; Sánchez, E.F.; Domínguez, J.A.G.; Muñoz, J.G.; Molera, M.J., The use of gaseous and liquid n-paraffins in GC identification of oxidation products of acetondimethyl acetal, J. Chromatogr. Sci., 1982, 20, 8, 363-366, https://doi.org/10.1093/chromsci/20.8.363 . [all data]

Goebel, 1982
Goebel, K.-J., Gaschromatographische Identifizierung Niedrig Siedender Substanzen Mittels Retentionsindices und Rechnerhilfe, J. Chromatogr., 1982, 235, 1, 119-127, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(00)95793-5 . [all data]

Bogoslovsky, Anvaer, et al., 1978
Bogoslovsky, Yu.N.; Anvaer, B.I.; Vigdergauz, M.S., Chromatographic constants in gas chromatography (in Russian), Standards Publ. House, Moscow, 1978, 192. [all data]

Ashes and Haken, 1974
Ashes, J.R.; Haken, J.K., Gas chromatography of homologous esters. VI. Structure-retention increments of aliphatic esters, J. Chromatogr., 1974, 101, 1, 103-123, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)94737-5 . [all data]

Mira and Sanchez, 1970
Mira, J.M.; Sanchez, L.G., Polarity of the Gas Chromatographic Stationary Phases and Retention Indices of Aliphatic Esters, Ketones and Alcohols, Anal. Chim. Acta., 1970, 50, 2, 315-321, https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2670(70)80071-X . [all data]

Germaine and Haken, 1969
Germaine, R.W.; Haken, J.K., Gas chromatography of homologous esters. Part 1. Simple aliphatic esters, J. Chromatogr., 1969, 43, 33-42, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(00)99162-3 . [all data]

Wehrli and Kováts, 1959
Wehrli, A.; Kováts, E., Gas-chromatographische Charakterisierung ogranischer Verbindungen. Teil 3: Berechnung der Retentionsindices aliphatischer, alicyclischer und aromatischer Verbindungen, Helv. Chim. Acta, 1959, 7, 7, 2709-2736, https://doi.org/10.1002/hlca.19590420745 . [all data]

Chretien and Dubois, 1978
Chretien, J.R.; Dubois, J-E., Topological Analysis: A Technique for the Physico-Chemical Exploitation of Retention Data in Gas-Liquid Chromatography, J. Chromatogr., 1978, 158, 43-56, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(00)89954-9 . [all data]

Leffingwell and Alford, 2005
Leffingwell, J.C.; Alford, E.D., Volatile constituents of Perique tobacco, Electron. J. Environ. Agric. Food Chem., 2005, 4, 2, 899-915. [all data]

Du and Feng, 2008
Du, X.; Feng, C., Correlativity research between topological dyeing index and gas chromatography retention index of fatty esters, J. Petrochem. Univ. (Chinese), 2008, 21, 1, 16-20. [all data]

Flanagan, Streete, et al., 1997
Flanagan, R.J.; Streete, P.J.; Ramsey, J.D., Volatile Substance Abuse, UNODC Technical Series, No 5, United Nations, Office on Drugs and Crime, Vienna International Centre, PO Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria, 1997, 56, retrieved from http://www.odccp.org/pdf/technical_series₁997-01-01₁.pdf. [all data]

Strete, Ruprah, et al., 1992
Strete, P.J.; Ruprah, M.; Ramsey, J.D.; Flanagan, R.J., Detection and identification of volatile substances by headspace capillary gas chromatography to aid the diagnosis of acute poisoning, Analyst, 1992, 117, 7, 1111-1127, https://doi.org/10.1039/an9921701111 . [all data]

Waggott and Davies, 1984
Waggott, A.; Davies, I.W., Identification of organic pollutants using linear temperature programmed retention indices (LTPRIs) - Part II, 1984, retrieved from http://dwi.defra.gov.uk/research/completed-research/reports/dwi0383.pdf. [all data]

Ramsey and Flanagan, 1982
Ramsey, J.D.; Flanagan, R.J., Detection and Identification of Volatile Organic Compounds in Blood by Headspace Gas Chromatography as an Aid to the Diagnosis of Solvent Abuse, J. Chromatogr., 1982, 240, 2, 423-444, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(00)99622-5 . [all data]

Notes

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• Symbols used in this document:
  

  AE	Appearance energy
  IE (evaluated)	Recommended ionization energy
  ΔrG°	Free energy of reaction at standard conditions
  ΔrH°	Enthalpy of reaction at standard conditions

• Data from NIST Standard Reference Database 69: NIST Chemistry WebBook
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