Editing Formic acid (section)

===From methyl formate and formamide===
When [[methanol]] and [[carbon monoxide]] are combined in the presence of a strong [[Base (chemistry)|base]], the result is [[methyl formate]], according to the [[chemical equation]]:<ref name=Ullmann_2009/>
:CH<sub>3</sub>OH + CO → HCO<sub>2</sub>CH<sub>3</sub>

In industry, this reaction is performed in the liquid phase at elevated pressure. Typical reaction conditions are 80&nbsp;°C and 40 atm. The most widely used base is [[sodium methoxide]]. [[Hydrolysis]] of the methyl formate produces formic acid:
:HCO<sub>2</sub>CH<sub>3</sub> + H<sub>2</sub>O → HCOOH + CH<sub>3</sub>OH

Efficient hydrolysis of methyl formate requires a large excess of water. Some routes proceed indirectly by first treating the methyl formate with [[ammonia]] to give [[formamide]], which is then hydrolyzed with [[sulfuric acid]]:
:HCO<sub>2</sub>CH<sub>3</sub> + NH<sub>3</sub> → HC(O)NH<sub>2</sub> + CH<sub>3</sub>OH
:2 HC(O)NH<sub>2</sub> + 2H<sub>2</sub>O + H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> → 2HCO<sub>2</sub>H + (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>

A disadvantage of this approach is the need to dispose of the [[ammonium sulfate]] byproduct. This problem has led some manufacturers to develop energy-efficient methods of separating formic acid from the excess water used in direct hydrolysis. In one of these processes, used by [[BASF]], the formic acid is removed from the water by [[liquid-liquid extraction]] with an organic base.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}