Calculate the chemical yield (% yield) of any reaction from the actual isolated mass and the theoretical yield derived from the limiting reagent. Results update live as you type — and every session stays in your browser, never on a server.
Chemical yield (% Yield) measures how much of the theoretically possible product was actually isolated in practice, expressed as a percentage. It compares what you got in the flask to what stoichiometry says you should have been able to make — and the gap between the two represents losses from incomplete reaction, side reactions, purification steps, and handling. A high % yield means the reaction has been run efficiently, generating less waste and requiring fewer raw materials per gram of purified product.
| Symbol | Term | Units |
|---|---|---|
| $\% \text{Yield}$ | Percentage yield | %; ideal = 100% |
| $m_{\text{actual}}$ | Mass of pure, dry product actually isolated | g |
| $m_{\text{theoretical}}$ | Theoretical yield: moles of limiting reagent × stoichiometric ratio × MW of product | g |
Note: % Yield uses the actual isolated mass — a product still in solution or not yet dried is not fully isolated. Theoretical yield assumes 100% conversion with no side reactions. Values above 100% indicate impurity in the product, incomplete drying, or a calculation error.
| Context | Typical % Yield | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial optimised process | > 90% | Highly optimised conditions, continuous monitoring, minimal handling losses |
| Excellent lab synthesis | 80–95% | Well-optimised procedure, clean reaction, efficient isolation |
| Good undergraduate result | 60–80% | Good technique; some losses from transfer, recrystallisation, or drying |
| Moderate / acceptable | 40–60% | Incomplete reaction or significant purification losses; review conditions |
| Poor — needs investigation | < 40% | Major losses from side reactions, poor selectivity, or handling; systematic review required |
| Metric | What it measures | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| % Yield | Fraction of theoretical product actually isolated — experimental efficiency | Experimental |
| Atom Economy (AE) | Theoretical fraction of reactant mass incorporated into desired product by design | Design |
| Reaction Mass Efficiency (RME) | AE × yield × stoichiometric factor — combines design and experimental efficiency | Both |
| E-factor | Mass of all waste per mass of product (includes solvents, excess reagents) | Experimental |
| Space Time Yield (STY) | Product mass per reactor volume per unit time — reactor productivity | Experimental |
| PMI (Process Mass Intensity) | Total mass of all inputs per mass of product; E-factor + 1 | Experimental |
Enter all reactants. MW and mass are required to identify the limiting reagent and calculate the theoretical yield. The limiting reagent is marked with ★.
| Compound name | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Mass used (g) | Coeff. | Moles |
|---|
Enter the desired product and its MW so the theoretical yield can be calculated. Then enter the actual mass you isolated.
| Product name | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Coeff. | MW × n |
|---|
| Compound | Role | Formula | MW (g/mol) | Mass (g) | Moles | Coeff. | % of reactants | Visual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enter reactants, product, and actual mass above to see breakdown. | ||||||||
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