This **Organic Reaction Calculator** helps chemists quickly determine the **Percent Yield** of a reaction, solving for Actual Yield, Theoretical Yield, or the Percent Yield itself based on the two known inputs.
Organic Reaction Yield Calculator
Result will appear here.
--Organic Reaction Yield Formula
Formula Sources: LibreTexts Chemistry, Master Organic Chemistry
Variables Explained
- Actual Yield (g): The actual mass (in grams) of the desired product that was isolated and measured after the reaction and purification process.
- Theoretical Yield (g): The maximum mass (in grams) of the product that could possibly be produced from a given amount of limiting reagent, calculated based on the balanced chemical equation.
- Percent Yield (%): The ratio of the actual yield to the theoretical yield, expressed as a percentage. It indicates the efficiency of the reaction.
What is Organic Reaction Yield?
In organic chemistry, the **reaction yield** is one of the most critical metrics used to evaluate the success and efficiency of a chemical synthesis. It represents the amount of desired product obtained from a chemical reaction. A high yield is typically sought after in both academic research and industrial manufacturing, as it translates directly to better resource management and lower costs.
The concept is formally captured by the Percent Yield Calculator, which compares the experimentally obtained mass (Actual Yield) against the stoichiometrically derived maximum possible mass (Theoretical Yield). Factors like side reactions, incomplete conversion, and product loss during workup and purification are why the actual yield is almost always lower than the theoretical maximum.
How to Calculate Percent Yield (Example)
Let's use an example where an organic synthesis expects 50 grams of product but only obtains 42 grams.
- Identify the Variables: The Actual Yield is $42.0 \text{ g}$ and the Theoretical Yield is $50.0 \text{ g}$. The unknown is the Percent Yield ($\%Y$).
- Apply the Formula: Substitute the known values into the yield formula: $$\%Y = (\text{Actual Yield} / \text{Theoretical Yield}) \times 100$$ $$\%Y = (42.0 \text{ g} / 50.0 \text{ g}) \times 100$$
- Calculate the Result: The calculation is $0.84 \times 100$.
- Final Yield: The resulting Percent Yield is $\mathbf{84.00\%}$.
Related Calculators
- Limiting Reagent Calculator
- Molar Mass Calculator
- Stoichiometry Calculator
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is my actual yield less than the theoretical yield? Actual yield is almost always lower than theoretical yield due to several factors: incomplete reactions (the reaction does not go to 100% completion), competing side reactions that consume reagents, and loss of product during the workup, isolation, and purification steps (e.g., filtering, washing, distillation).
Can the percent yield be over 100%? A yield over 100% is mathematically possible but indicates experimental error. The most common cause is the product being impure or wet, meaning the measured "Actual Yield" includes the mass of unreacted starting materials, solvents, or water, artificially inflating the mass.
How is the theoretical yield determined? Theoretical yield is determined by first identifying the limiting reagent, which is completely consumed. Using the mass of the limiting reagent and the balanced chemical equation's stoichiometric ratios and molecular weights, the maximum possible mass of the product is calculated.
What is the typical acceptable yield in organic chemistry? The acceptable yield varies significantly based on the reaction type and complexity. For simple, robust reactions, yields above 90% are expected. For complex multi-step syntheses or highly challenging reactions, a yield above 50% or even 30% might be considered excellent.