Sciencemadness Discussion Board

synthesis of formamide

lion2000 - 23-11-2004 at 12:09

any one have expericence of making formamide

Ref: Synthesis of Formamide

solo - 23-11-2004 at 15:00

Although I have no on hands experience on the synthesis , I will post this information which may help....solo
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Formamide is an oily transparent leuco-liquid with some ammonia odor. Methanol is dehydrated to produce methyl formamide, and then it reacts with ammonia to make crude formamide.

CH(NH2)=O ( formamide) CAS #75-12-7
...... read more about this material
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Synthesis

Prepared on a large scale from carbon monoxide and ammonia at high pressure and temperature.

see...Ber. (1921),54, 1705
.........Ber.( 1922),55,857

Patents:
German patent #'s 390,798 (1924),
392,409(1924),414,257(1925)
US Patent # 1,843,434(1932)

Source Merck Index 9th ed.

Mendeleev - 15-12-2004 at 18:00

Amides are easily made by reacting concentrated aqueous ammonia with the proper ester. Formamide can be easily prepared by reacting ethyl formate with concentrated ammonia solution, no need for catalysts or complications.

Edit: Apparently however formamide is water soluble and decomposes on boiling so a vacuum distillaiton would be necessarry. I don't think there will be any trouble in separating it this way given the 100 degree difference in boiling point with water.

[Edited on 16-12-2004 by Mendeleev]

tom haggen - 16-12-2004 at 00:01

I was actually quite curious about this same topic recently. I found some good answers over at E&W in the DINGU thread. Happy hunting. I think I need more experience in organic chemistry before I try messing around with this synthesis.

alphacheese - 31-1-2012 at 13:03

Albert Brann accomplishes the preparation of formamide through the thermal decomposition of ammonium formate that was first synthesized from dry ammonia gas being led into formic acid. The reaction vessel is kept cool during the ammonium formate production and was then gradually heated in a molten paraffin bath. The steady stream of ammonia gas is continued as impure formamide is distilled off. It is then purified through fractional distillation to obtain formamide with a freezing point of 2.25C.

Journal of American Chemical Society
May 1918
Volume 40, Issue 5
Pages 733-872

Formamide

vitirol - 9-1-2016 at 07:19

Good afternoon!

My goal is to know a synthesis of formamide , i have searched for it, on the site, but I did'nt find anything about it. I know a several syntheses for it (eg.:from formic acid and ammonia,then decomposing it), but i want to know something about it from people with an experience of formamide making.

Thanks for your attention,and for your answers!

Marcelo F - 14-1-2016 at 13:04

Oxidative cleavage of diols like glucose

jamit - 14-1-2016 at 16:11

If anyone's interested in buying 500ml of formamide, I have it for sale... asking 25.00 plus shipping.