Lithium formate

Lithium formate
Identifiers
CAS Number	556-63-8 ; monohydrate: 6108-23-2;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image; monohydrate: Interactive image;
ChemSpider	61679; monohydrate: 11251293;
ECHA InfoCard	100.008.304
EC Number	209-133-0; monohydrate: 676-657-8;
PubChem CID	23680280; monohydrate: 23702287;
UNII	5L7QBY030Z; monohydrate: ZQS5S890B6;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID0060303 ; monohydrate: DTXSID20635737;
	InChI InChI=1S/CH2O2.Li/c2-1-3;/h1H,(H,2,3);/q;+1/p-1 Key: XKPJKVVZOOEMPK-UHFFFAOYSA-M; monohydrate: InChI=1S/CH2O2.Li.H2O/c2-1-3;;/h1H,(H,2,3);;1H2/q;+1;/p-1 Key: RDAKCPVJSPEDON-UHFFFAOYSA-M;
	SMILES [Li+].C(=O)[O-]; monohydrate: [Li+].C(=O)[O-].O;
Properties
Chemical formula	CHLiO2
Molar mass	51.96 g·mol−1
Hazards
	GHS labelling:[1]
Pictograms
Signal word	Warning
Hazard statements	H315, H319, H335
Precautionary statements	P261, P264, P264+P265, P271, P280, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P319, P321, P332+P317, P337+P317, P362+P364, P403+P233, P405, P501
Related compounds
Other anions	Lithium acetate
Other cations	Sodium formate
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Lithium formate (also called lithium methanoate) is an ionic chemical compound with the formula HCOO Li, and a molar mass of 51.95 g/mol. It is potentially nephrotoxic^[1].

Properties

Lithium formate crystalises in the orthorhombic crystal system, with space group Pna2₁. The unit cell has dimensions a = 6.99 Å, b = 6.50 Å and c = 4.85 Å.^[2]

The monohydrate loses water to form the anhydrous salt at 94°C. Decomposition to lithium carbonate, carbon monoxide and hydrogen occurs at 230°C.^[3]^[2]

References

^ PubChem. "Lithium formate". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
^ ^a ^b Ans, Jean d'; Lax, Ellen (1998). Taschenbuch für Chemiker und Physiker (in German). Springer. p. 532. ISBN 978-3-540-60035-0.
^ Meisel, T.; Halmos, Z.; Seybold, K.; Pungor, E. (February 1975). "The thermal decomposition of alkali metal formates". Journal of Thermal Analysis. 7 (1): 73–80. doi:10.1007/BF01911627.

[1] PubChem. "Lithium formate". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-07.

[t-2] Ans, Jean d'; Lax, Ellen (1998). Taschenbuch für Chemiker und Physiker (in German). Springer. p. 532. ISBN 978-3-540-60035-0.

[3] Meisel, T.; Halmos, Z.; Seybold, K.; Pungor, E. (February 1975). "The thermal decomposition of alkali metal formates". Journal of Thermal Analysis. 7 (1): 73–80. doi:10.1007/BF01911627.

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