Performic acid
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| Names | |||
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Preferred IUPAC name
Methaneperoxoic acid
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| Other names
Performic acid
Hydroperoxyformaldehyde Formyl hydroperoxide Permethanoic acid Peroxyformic acid |
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| Identifiers | |||
107-32-4 
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| 3D model (Jmol) | Interactive image | ||
| ChemSpider |
59441 
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.124.147 | ||
| PubChem | 66051 | ||
| UNII |
XEL6R975Q4
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| Properties | |||
| CH2O3 | |||
| Molar mass | 62.02 g·mol−1 | ||
| Appearance | Colorless liquid | ||
| Melting point | −18 °C (0 °F; 255 K) | ||
| Boiling point | 50 °C (122 °F; 323 K) (at 13.3 kPa; 90% pure acid) | ||
| Acidity (pKa) | 7.1 | ||
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Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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 (what is ?) |
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| Infobox references | |||
Performic acid (PFA) is an organic compound with the formula CH2O3. It is an unstable colorless liquid which can be produced by mixing formic acid with hydrogen peroxide. Owing to its oxidizing and disinfecting action, it is used in the chemical, medical and food industries.
Performic acid is a colorless liquid soluble in water, alcohols, ether, benzene, chloroform and other organic solvents. Its strong oxidizing properties are used for cleaving disulfide bonds in protein mapping, as well as for epoxidation, hydroxylation and oxidation reactions in organic synthesis. In the medical and food industries, performic acid is commonly used to disinfect equipment. It is effective against viruses, bacterial spores, algae, microscopic fungi and mycobacteria, as well as other microorganisms such as zooplankton. The popularity of performic acid as a sterilizer originates from the safe nature of its degradation products, mostly carbon dioxide, oxygen and water. The disinfecting action of performic acid is also faster than that of the related compounds peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide. The major drawbacks of performic acid are handling dangers related to its high reactivity, as well as instability, especially upon heating, which means that the acid must be used within about 12 hours of it being synthesised.
Performic acid is synthesized by the reaction of formic acid and hydrogen peroxide by the following equilibrium reaction:
Synthesis of pure performic acid has not been reported, but aqueous solutions up to about 48% can be formed by simply mixing equimolar amounts of concentrated aqueous reactant solutions. Using an excess of either reactant shifts the equilibrium towards the product side. The aqueous product solution can be distilled to increase the concentration of performing acid to about 90%.
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