Formic acid Formic acid Formic acid, systematically named methanoic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid. The chemical formula is HCOOH or HCOH. It is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in some ants. The word "formic" comes from the Latin word for ant, "formica", referring to its early isolation by the distillation of ant bodies. Esters, salts, and the anion derived from formic acid are called formates. Industrially formic acid is produced from methanol. Formic acid is a colorless liquid having a pungent, penetrating odor at room temperature, not unlike the related acetic acid. It is miscible
Acetic acid nomenclature. The name "acetic acid" derives from "acetum", the Latin word for vinegar, and is related to the word acid itself. "Glacial acetic acid" is a name for water-free (anhydrous) acetic acid. Similar to the German name "Eisessig" ("ice-vinegar"), the name comes from the ice-like crystals that form slightly below room temperature at (the presence of 0.1% water lowers its melting point by 0.2 °C). A common symbol for acetic acid is "AcOH", where "Ac" is the pseudoelement symbol representing the acetyl group −C(=O)−; the conjugate base, acetate (), is thus represented as "AcO". (The "Ac" is not to be