338.    BREDIG, G., AND CARTER, S. R.  [Catalytic Synthesis of Formic Acid Under Pressure.]  Ber. Deut. Chem. Gesell., vol. 47, 1914, pp. 541-545; Chem. Abs., vol. 8, 1914, p. 1584. 

                  Object of this work was to determine:  (1) Whether the equilibrium in the formation of HCO₂H from ordinary H₂ and CO₂ could be materially shifted in favor of the HCO₂H formation by sufficiently decreasing its partial pressure, and (2) whether the reaction velocity could be increased enough by the use of a suitable catalyzer and of high pressures.  Below are given, respectively, the weight of substance used in 200 cm.³ H₂O, the gas pressure, the time, and the yield of formate in % of the theoretical amount that would have been formed if all of the carbonate, or borax had been converted into formate.  In all cases but (1), where no catalyzer was used, 1.5 gm. Pd sponge was employed, and the temperature was 70° except in (3) where it was 95°.  (1) 10 gm. KHCO₃, 60 atm. H₂, 24 hr., 0.6%, (2) 10 gm. KHCO₃, 60 atm. H₂, 23 hr., 74.7%, (3) 10 gm. KHCO₃, 30 atm. H₂, 26 hr., 66.3%, (4) 0.4 gm. CaCO₃, 50 atm. H₂+20 atm. CO₂, 4.5 h r., 100%, (5) 9.5 gm. Na₂B₄O_7.10H₂O, 30 atm. H₂+30 atm. CO₂, 16 hr., 21.7%, (6) 10.6 gm. Na₂CO₃, 60 atm. H₂, 7 hr., 0.4%.  The negligible yield with Na₂CO₃, in spite of its stronger alkalinity, as compared with that obtained with KHCO₃, would indicate that the velocity and free energy of the HCO₂H formation rises and falls not only with the partial pressure of the H₂ but also with that of the CO₂.  The small yield with KHCO₂ but without Pd shows that the method is really catalytic.