Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Formic acid: The simplest carboxylic acid. Its molecular structure consists of a carboxyl group bonded to a hydrogen atom. IUPAC name: methanoic acid. Formic acid is a natural product, most notably in ant venom; hence its name from formica, Latin for ant.

Molecular Structure of Formic Acid





Lewis structure
  
Ball and spoke
  
Space-filling model




Sodium formate
  
Ethyl formate
The term formate can refer to the conjugate base of formic acid, or an ester derived from formic acid.