2528. NIELSON, H. Destructive Distillation of Coal, Wood or Similar
Materials. United States Patent
1,605,761, Nov. 2, 1926; appl. filed Nov.
27, 1922. Chem. Abs., vol. 21, 1927, p. 168.
Formic acid is made from CH4 or gas containing it by passing the
gas over a metallic catalyst such as Cu suboxide. The reaction is as follows: CH4+O2=CO+H2O+H2=HCOOH.
It may also be made from CO in the presence of H2O vapor and the
catalyst.
