Abstract:
Carbon monoxide is obtained by decomposing at 130-200 DEG C. the addition products obtainable from 1 mol. of a tertiary amine and 2-8 mols. of formic acid (see Division C2).ALSO:The invention relates to addition products of formic acid and tertiary organic bases, the products having the formula in which n is 2-8 and each R denotes an optionally substituted aliphatic, aromatic, cycloaliphatic or heterocyclic radical, two or three of which may be combined with the nitrogen atom to form a ring. The specified tertiary amines include trimethylamine, diethylpropylamine, dimethylstarylamine, permethylated ethylene diamine, dimethylcyclohexylamine, dimethylbenzylamine, pyridine, quinoline, N-methylmorpholine and N,N1-dimethylpiperazine, but others are specified also. In one example, trimethylamine and an excess of formic acid are mixed at 20-40 DEG C. and the mixture is distilled under reduced pressure whereby, after distillation of water and excess of formic acid, an addition product of 1 mol. of trimethylamine and 3 mols. of formic acid distils over. Other methods of procedure are also indicated, including methods in which the amine or the acid is produced in situ. Compounds of the formula (CH3)3N.(HCOOH)3, (C2H5)3N.(HCOOH)3, (C2H5) (CH3)2N.(HCOOH)3 and (C2H5)2(CH3)N.(HCOOH)3 are specifically claimed.