Atom economy and % yield

• mass of desired product

  % atom economy = ------------------------ X 100

  total mass of reactants
• Atom economy tells us in theory, how many atoms must be wasted in a reaction
• Percentage yield tells us about the practical efficiency of the process and how much is lost by:

  • the practical process of obtaining a product
  • a reactions completion / loss
• actual moles

  % yield = ------------------ X 100

  theoretical moles