Formic acid rapidly converts to carbon dioxide (CO2) under basic conditions, primarily through the formation of the formate ion. The mechanism begins with hydroxide ions deprotonating formic acid, resulting in the formation of the formate ion and water. Subsequently, a lone pair from the oxygen atom in the formate ion migrates to create a carbonyl (C=O) double bond. This process is coupled with the breaking of a C-H bond, where the released electron pair deprotonates a water molecule, regenerating hydroxide ions. The final products of this reaction are carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas (H2).
