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Key Documents

291056

Sigma-Aldrich

Methyl formate

anhydrous, 99%

Synonym(s):

Formic acid methyl ester

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About This Item

Linear Formula:
HCO2CH3
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
60.05
Beilstein:
1734623
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352108
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.21

grade

anhydrous

Quality Level

vapor density

2.1 (vs air)

vapor pressure

32.91 psi ( 55 °C)
9.47 psi ( 20 °C)

Assay

99%

form

liquid

autoignition temp.

842 °F

expl. lim.

23 %

impurities

<0.005% water

evapn. residue

<0.0005%

refractive index

n20/D 1.343 (lit.)

pH

4-5 (20 °C, 200 g/L)

bp

32-34 °C (lit.)

mp

−100 °C (lit.)

density

0.974 g/mL at 20 °C (lit.)

SMILES string

[H]C(=O)OC

InChI

1S/C2H4O2/c1-4-2-3/h2H,1H3

InChI key

TZIHFWKZFHZASV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

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Application

Methyl formate may be used in the synthesis of the following building blocks:
  • methyl 4-chloro-2-formylbutanoate from methyl 4-chlorobutanoate via -formylation
  • potassium methyl α-[(methoxyethylidene)amino]-β-hydroxyacrylate from methyl α-[(methoxyethylidene)amino]acetate
  • (S)-(-)-1-formyl-2-hydroxymethylpyrrolidine from (S)-(+)-2-hydroxymethylpyrrolidine via N-formylation

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 3 Dermal - Acute Tox. 3 Inhalation - Acute Tox. 3 Oral - Eye Irrit. 2 - Flam. Liq. 1 - STOT SE 1 - STOT SE 3

Target Organs

Respiratory system

Storage Class Code

3 - Flammable liquids

WGK

WGK 2

Flash Point(F)

-2.2 °F - closed cup

Flash Point(C)

-19 °C - closed cup

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

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4-Methoxycarbonyl-2-methyl-1,3-oxazole
White JD, et al
Organic Syntheses, 79, 244-244 (2002)
(S)-(-)-1-Amino-2-Methoxymethylpyrrolidine (SAMP) and (R)-(+)-1-Amino-2-Methoxymethylpyrrolidine (RAMP), Versatile Chiral Auxiliaries
Enders D, et al.
Organic Syntheses, 65, 173-173 (1987)
Katherine R Phillips et al.
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 135(2), 574-577 (2012-12-28)
Methyl formate is produced from the photo-oxidation of methanol on preoxidized TiO(2)(110). We demonstrate that two consecutive photo-oxidation steps lead to methyl formate using mass spectrometry and scanning tunneling microscopy. The first step in methanol oxidation is formation of methoxy
Methyl N-Phenyl Carbamate Synthesis from Aniline and Methyl Formate: Carbon Recycling to Chemical Products.
Yalfani MS, et al.
ChemSusChem, 8(3), 443-447 (2015)
Synthesis of Methyl 1-Formylcyclopropanecarboxylate utilizing Ti-Claisen Condensation
Ashida Y, et al.
Organic Syntheses, 93, 286-286 (2016)

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