1046.    --------------.  [FISCHER, F., TROPSCH, H., AND SCHELLENBERG, A.] [Formation and Decomposition of Calcium Formate.]  Ges. Abhandl. Kenntnis Kohle, vol. 6, 1921, pp. 330-354; Chem. Abs., vol. 18, 1924, p. 3170.

       Ca formate is obtained in practically theoretical yield on shaking S N milk of lime with CO under 20-50 atm. at 160° for 12-17 hr.  At 180° the Fe parts of the autoclave are seriously attacked.  When Ca formate was decomposed at 420°-430° (26 gm. in 1-2 hr.) in the Al distillation apparatus, the residue consisted almost completely of CaCO₂, with very small quantities of oxalate and undecomposed formate, and traces of carbonaceous products.  The primary formation of oxalate (abs. 3561 and 3564) could not be confirmed.  One gm.-mol. of pure Ca formate gave 1.02 gm.-atoms of C in the residue, 0.54 gm.-atom in the gas (which consisted of 47.9% CO, 2.0% CH₄, and 23.8% H₂) 0.20 gm.-atom in the MeOH, and 0.13 gm.-atom in the oil.  A mixture of equal parts of Ca formate and CaO gave a rather higher yield of MeOH and less oil, but the addition of more CaO (up to 10 pts.) decreased the yield of MeOH.  By carrying out the decomposition of Ca formate in a current steam, MeOH was obtained in 52% yield.  When decomposed in a large Al distillation apparatus 390 gm. of Ca formate gave 15.2 gm. of MeOH containing a small proportion of acetone and 5.5 gm. of oil, of which 2.56 gm. were volatile in steam.