Theoretical and Percent Yield

The general mechanism for finding percentage yield is as follows:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Balance the chemical equation

Find the limiting reagent
Find the theoretical yield
Find the actual yield
Find the percentage yield

Percentage Yield =

mass of Actual Yield

x 100%
Mass of Theoretical Yield

1. Balancing The Relevant Chemical Equation:

2. Finding The Limiting Reagent:
this is the reactant which the product yield depends on, as it is not in excess.
To determine which reactant is the limiting reagent
1(a). Divide the mass (in grams) of the reactant by its molecular
weight (in g/mol) OR
1(b). Multiply the amount used (in mL) by its density, then divide
by its molar mass
2. Multiply the mass (your answer from steps 1(a) or 1(b)) by the
number of moles of the reactant used in the reaction.
Example:
salicylic acid + acetic anhydride acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) + acetic acid
Salicylic acid: (0.211 g) / (138.1 g/mol) * 1 = 0.00153 mol
Acetic anhydride: (0.480 mL) * (1.08 g/mL) / (102.1 g/mol) * 1 = 0.00508 mol
Therefore, salicylic acid is the limiting reagent, since there are less moles of that
than there are of acetic anhydride.

3. Theoretical Yield
This is how much product will form in ideal conditions.
To determine theoretical yield, multiply the amount of moles of the limiting
reagent by the ratio of the limiting reagent and the formed product and by
the molecular weight of the product.
Example: Theoretical Yield
Theoretical yield = 0.00153mol sal. acid *

1 mol ASA
* 180.2g ASA .
1 mol sal. acid
1 mol ASA

= 0.276 g ASA

4. Actual Yield
This is how much product was actually synthesized in the experiment.
Example: 0.135 g acetylsalicylic acid
5. Percent Yield
The percentage yield is the ratio between the actual yield and the theoretical
yield multiplied by 100%. It indicates the percent of theoretical yield that
was obtained from the final product in an experiment.
The percentage yield can be calculated using the mass of the actual product
obtained and the theoretical mass of the product calculated using the
balanced equation of the reaction.
Percentage Yield = Mass of Actual Yield
Mass of Theoretical Yield

x 100%