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Topic summary

Formaldehyde

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Names Preferred IUPAC name
Formaldehyde
Systematic IUPAC name
Methanal
Other names
  • Methyl aldehyde
  • Methylene glycol (diol forms in aqueous solution)
  • Methylene oxide
  • Formalin (aqueous solution)
  • Formol
  • Carbonyl hydride
  • Methanone
  • Oxomethane
  • Formic aldehyde
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
1209228 ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
DrugBank
ECHA InfoCard100.000.002EC Number
  • 200-001-8
E numberE240 (preservatives)445
KEGG
MeSHFormaldehyde
RTECS number
  • LP8925000
UNII
UN number2209
  • InChI=1S/CH2O/c1-2/h1H2
    Key: WSFSSNUMVMOOMR-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • InChI=1/CH2O/c1-2/h1H2
    Key: WSFSSNUMVMOOMR-UHFFFAOYAT
  • C=O
Properties CH2OMolar mass30.026 g·mol Appearance Colorless gas Density0.8153 g/cm (−20 °C) (liquid) Melting point−92 °C (−134 °F; 181 K) Boiling point−19 °C (−2 °F; 254 K) 400 g/L log P0.350 Vapor pressure> 1 atm Acidity (pKa) 13.27 (hydrate) −18.6·10 cm/mol 2.330 D Structure C2vTrigonal planar Thermochemistry 35.387 J·mol·K 218.760 J·mol·K −108.700 kJ·mol −102.667 kJ·mol 571 kJ·mol Pharmacology QP53AX19 (WHO) Hazards GHS labelling: DangerH301+H311+H331, H314, H317, H335, H341, H350, H370P201, P280, P303+P361+P353, P304+P340+P310, P305+P351+P338, P308+P310NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
4
4
0
COR
Flash point64 °C (147 °F; 337 K) 430 °C (806 °F; 703 K) Explosive limits7–73% Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): 100 mg/kg (oral, rat) 333 ppm (mouse, 2 h)
815 ppm (rat, 30 min) 333 ppm (cat, 2 h) NIOSH (US health exposure limits):
PEL (Permissible)
TWA 0.75 ppm ST 2 ppm (as formaldehyde and formalin)
REL (Recommended)
Ca TWA 0.016 ppm C 0.1 ppm [15-minute]
IDLH (Immediate danger)
Ca [20 ppm] Safety data sheet (SDS) MSDS(Archived) Related compounds
Related aldehydes
Related compounds
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Formaldehyde ( , US also ) (systematic namemethanal) is a pungent colorless gas mainly used in the production of industrial resins, such as for particle board, coatings, plastics, pulp, paper, synthetic fibers, and textiles. A ~5% solution in water of formaldehyde is used as a disinfectant and fumigant in industrial, agricultural, and healthcare settings, and a ~37% solution is used to preserve tissue samples in labs. In 2024, the global production of formaldehyde was estimated at 26 million tons per year, and is a precursor to many other materials and chemical compounds.

It is an organic compound with the chemical formulaCH2O and structure H2C=O. The gas spontaneously polymerizes into paraformaldehyde. It is stored as a ~37% aqueous solution known as formalin, which consists mainly of the hydrate CH2(OH)2. It is the simplest of the aldehydes (R−CHO).

Formaldehyde also occurs naturally. It is derived from the degradation of serine, dimethylglycine, and lipids. Demethylases act by converting N-methyl groups to formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is classified as a group 1 carcinogen and can cause respiratory and skin irritation upon exposure.

Wikipedia source