Formic Acid Essay

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Properties: Formic acid is found naturally in the venom of bees and ants and is the simplest carboxylic acid. Attached to the single carbon are a hydroxide, oxygen, and hydrogen atom. The carboxyl carbon is attached to a hydrogen atom. Formic Acid is a colorless liquid, and a very strong and penetrating odor. As the name indicates, this organic compound is an acid and thus has a hydroxide group. The formula is CH(2)O(2) and the molecular weight is about 46.03 amu. The boiling point and melting point are 101 degrees C and 8.4 degrees C respectively (EPA). The pKa of formic acid is 3.75 making it a rather weak acid (OSHA.gov). It is a weak acid because when Formic acid dissociates it still holds on to one hydrogen atom. Formic acid is unique within the carboxylic acids because it can take part in addition reactions with alkenes to form esters. Formic Acid is soluble in water and most polar organic solvents. In hydrocarbons and the vapor phase, Formic acid exists as hydrogen bonded dimers because of hydrogen bonding (Chemistry Daily). The two oxygen bonds have delocalized electrons and can therefore have resonance structures. Functional Properties: Formic acid has a wide variety of uses. Even though Formic acid is found naturally in the venom of bees and ants, it is produced mainly as a by-product of the production of acetic acid. Formic acid is used as a preservative and antibacterial agent on animal stock feed such as hay. It is sprayed on the hay to slow the loss of nutrients and decay of the hay. This is especially important in Europe during the winter months to keep feed and hay suitable for feeding (OSHA.gov). Also within the poultry industry, Formic Acid is used as an antibacterial to get rid of E. coli and salmonella. Thus Formic acid is very important to the live stock industry (Chemistry Daily). In the beekeeping industry, Formic acid is used to kill the

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