BACKGROUND: The hydrolysis of methyl formate is the major industrial process for the production of formic acid. The aim of the work is to determine the reaction kinetics quantitatively in the presence of formic acid catalyst, develop a mathematical model for the reaction system and estimate the kinetic parameters for the purpose of optimization. RESULTS: Liquid phase hydrolysis kinetics of alkyl formates (ethyl and methyl formate) was studied in an isothermal batch reactor at 80-110 degrees C and 20 bar nitrogen pressure. The catalyst of choice was formic acid. The reaction rate was enhanced but the formic acid product yield was slightly suppressed relative to the uncatalysed system. A kinetic model comprising mass balances and rate equations was developed and the kinetic and equilibrium parameters included in the rate equations were estimated from the experimental data with non-linear regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The model was able to predict the experimental results successfully. The results obtained were compared quantitatively with an earlier model involving alkyl formate hydrolysis in a neutral aqueous solution. (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry