Britannica Sources used in this answer

How is formaldehyde manufactured from methanol?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Formaldehyde is produced primarily through the vapour-phase oxidation of methanol.1

This industrial process involves the chemical transformation of methanol into formaldehyde, which is the simplest member of the aldehyde family. Once manufactured, it is frequently marketed as formalin, an aqueous solution typically containing 37 percent formaldehyde by weight.1