Product Details
Oxalic acid, the simplest dicarboxylic acid, comes in colorless crystal form with two bound water molecules at room temperature, and converts to anhydrous state when heated to 100.1°C.
This toxic, moisture-absorbing product dissolves easily in ethanol and water, and will not dissolve in benzene or chloroform.
It delivers acidity over 10,000 times stronger than acetic acid, readily forms metal complexes, and acts as a strong reducing agent that oxidizes directly to CO₂ and water. It can reduce potassium permanganate to turn the solution completely colorless.
It decomposes at 189.5°C or in concentrated sulfuric acid to release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and water, and is widely used in labs to generate carbon monoxide gas. Trace amounts naturally exist in human urine, and calcium oxalate is the main component of urinary stones.
Parameters
| Melting point | 189.5 °C (dec.)(lit.) |
| Boiling point | 365.1°C (estimate) |
| density | 0.99 g/mL at 25 °C |
| bulk density | 750kg/m3 |
| vapor density | 4.4 (vs air) |
| vapor pressure | <0.01 mm Hg ( 20 °C) |
| refractive index | 1.4261 (estimate) |
| Fp | 101-157°C |
| storage temp. | Store below +30°C. |
| solubility | water: soluble108g/L at 25°C |
| form | Liquid |
| pka | 1.23(at 25℃) |
| color | White |
| PH Range | 6 - 8 at 25 °C |
| PH | 3(1 mM solution);2.09(10 mM solution);1.31(100 mM solution); |
| Odor | odorless |
| Water Solubility | 90 g/L (20 ºC) |
| Sublimation | 101-157 ºC |
| Merck | 14,6911 |
| BRN | 385686 |
| Henry's Law Constant | 1.43 at pH 4 (quoted, Gaffney et al., 1987) |
| Exposure limits | NIOSH REL: TWA 1, STEL 2, IDLH 500; OSHA PEL: TWA 1; ACGIH TLV: TWA 1, STEL 2 (adopted). |
| Stability: | Stable, but moisture sensitive. Incompatible with metals. |
| InChIKey | MUBZPKHOEPUJKR-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| LogP | -1.7 at 23℃ |
| CAS DataBase Reference | 144-62-7(CAS DataBase Reference) |
| NIST Chemistry Reference | Oxalic acid(144-62-7) |
| EPA Substance Registry System | Oxalic acid (144-62-7) |
Safety Information
| Hazard Codes | Xn |
| Risk Statements | 21/22-63-34-41 |
| Safety Statements | 24/25-23-36/37/39-27-26-39-37-36-36/37 |
| RIDADR | UN 3261 8/PG 3 |
| OEB | C |
| OEL | TWA: 1 mg/m3, STEL: 2 mg/m3 |
| WGK Germany | 1 |
| RTECS | RO2450000 |
| TSCA | Yes |
| HazardClass | 8 |
| PackingGroup | III |
| HS Code | 29171110 |
| Hazardous Substances Data | 144-62-7(Hazardous Substances Data) |
| Toxicity | LD50 orally in Rabbit: 375 mg/kg |
| IDLA | 500 mg/m3 |
Production Application
It works as a stable mordant in the printing and dyeing field, improving dye uptake and color fastness.
It also plays a key role in rare metal refining, and supports the production of different oxalates, oxalate salts and oxalamides.
