Process for obtaining formic acid by thermal separation of a stream comprising formic acid and a tertiary amine (I), in which, in step (a), a liquid stream comprising formic acid, methanol, water and tertiary amine (I) is produced by combining methyl formate, water and tertiary amine (I), from there in step (b), methanol is separated off and in step (c), formic acid is removed by distillation from the liquid stream obtained in a distillation apparatus, wherein, when methyl formate, water and tertiary amine (I) are combined, methyl formate, water and optionally tertiary amine (I) are first introduced in step (a1) in a molar ratio of 0≦n(amine to a1)/n(mefo to a1)≦0.1, and from 70 to 100% of the hydrolysis equilibrium possible is set and then, in step (a2), tertiary amine (I) is introduced in a molar ratio of 0.1≦n(amine to a2)/n(mefo to a1)≦2, and the mixture is reacted.
通过热分离流体中的
甲酸和三级胺(I)来获取
甲酸的过程,其中在步骤(a)中,通过混合
甲酸甲酯、
水和三级胺(I)产生包含
甲酸、
甲醇、
水和三级胺(I)的液态流体,然后在步骤(b)中分离
甲醇,在步骤(c)中,通过蒸馏从蒸馏设备中获得的液态流体中除去
甲酸。当混合
甲酸甲酯、
水和三级胺(I)时,在步骤(a1)中首先以0≦n(胺对a1)/n(mefo对a1)≦0.1的摩尔比引入
甲酸甲酯、
水和可选的三级胺(I),并设置70%至100%的
水解平衡,然后在步骤(a2)中以0.1≦n(胺对a2)/n(mefo对a1)≦2的摩尔比引入三级胺(I),并使混合物反应。