Tags: Chemical Compound, Chemical Substance.
Formic acid (systematically called methanoic acid) is the simplest carboxylic acid. Its chemical formula is HCOOH or HCO2H. It is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally most notably in ant venom. Its name comes from the Latin word for ant formica referring to its early isolation by the distillation of ant bodies. Esters salts and the anions derived from formic acid are referred to as formates.
