METHOD FOR CATALYTICALLY PRODUCING FORMIC ACID AND REGENERATING THE CATALYST USED IN THE PROCESS WITH LITTLE OVERPRESSURE

The invention relates to catalytically producing formic acid and regenerating the catalyst used in the process. A vanadyl ion, vandate ion, or polyoxometallate ion, which is used as the catalyst, of the general formula [PMoxVyO40]n− is brought into contact with an alpha hydroxyl aldehyde, an alpha hydroxy carboxylic acid, a carbohydrate, a glycoside, or a polymer, which contains a carbon chain and which comprises at least two OH groups bonded as substituents to the carbon chain as a substituent in a repeating manner and/or an O, N, or S atom contained in the carbon chain in a repeating manner, in a liquid solution (12) in a vessel (10) at a temperature above 70° C. and below 160° C., wherein 6≤x≤11, 1≤y≤6, 3