[2] MFA was first synthesized in 1896 by the Belgian chemist Frédéric Swarts by reacting methyl iodoacetate with silver fluoride.

It can also be synthesized by reacting methyl chloroacetate with potassium fluoride[1] Because of its toxicity, MFA was studied for potential use as a chemical weapon during World War II.

By the end of the war, several countries began to make methyl fluoroacetate to debilitate or kill the enemy.

[2] MFA is resistant to the displacement of fluorine by nucleophiles, so there is higher stability of the C−F bond compared to the other halogens (C−Cl, C−Br, C−I).

However, a few Australian species (e.g. brush-tailed possum) show a level of tolerance to fluoroacetate by metabolizing it using glutathione-S-transferase.

When administered, the MFA mainly resides in blood plasma, but can also be traced in the liver, kidney, and muscle tissue.

An order of decreasing susceptibility has been determined within these animals which is: dog, guinea-pig, cat, rabbit, goat, and then likely horse, rat, mouse, and monkey.

In dogs, guinea-pigs, cats, rabbits, goats, horses, rats, mice, and monkeys, the pharmacological effects of this substance have been investigated by mouth and by injection.

For the rat, cat and the rhesus monkey, the effects of methyl fluoroacetate have been determined similar to those of nicotine, strychnine, leptazol, picrotoxin, and electrically induced convulsions.

Estimations have been made for blood sugar, hemoglobin, plasma proteins, non-protein nitrogen, and serum potassium, calcium, chloride, and inorganic phosphate in a small number of rabbits, dogs, and goats.

The whole central nervous system is affected by methyl fluoroacetate just like with leptazol, with the higher centers being more sensitive than the lower ones.

The knee jerk reaction appears to be accentuated through methyl fluoroacetate until convulsions occur due to the irradiation of the stimuli being so facilitated.

Nervous conduction is increased and the threshold stimulus lessened in the reflex arc of a spinal cat.

Methyl fluoroacetate presents a serious hazard as a food and water contaminant in the case that it is used as a poison against rodents and other vermin, as it is not easily detected or destroyed and is equally toxic by mouth and by injection.

[6] Methyl fluoroacetate is produced and used as a chemical reagent and it can be released to the environment through several waste streams.

[2] Vapor-phase methyl fluoroacetate will be degraded in the atmosphere by reaction with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals.

MFA does not contain chromophores that absorb at wavelengths > 290 nm and therefore it's not expected to be susceptible to direct photolysis by sunlight.

From intravenous injection mice, rats, and guinea pigs show symptoms after 15 min to 2 hours.

Also, Australian herbivores (e.g. possum and seed-eating birds) that live in a habitat consisting of plants with traces of fluoroacetate, have some tolerance.

Afterward, careful supervision of oxygen supply is necessary together with a BLB mask[clarification needed] and the use of artificial respiration.