Question

A reaction was performed in which 3.6 g 3.6 g of benzoic acid was reacted with excess methanol to make 1.3 g 1.3 g of methyl benzoate. Calculate the theoretical yield and percent yield for this reaction.

Answer 1

Answer: The percent yield of the reaction is 32.34 %

Explanation:

To calculate the number of moles, we use the equation:

$\text{Number of moles}=\frac{\text{Given mass}}{\text{Molar mass}}$     .....(1)

• For benzoic acid:

Given mass of benzoic acid = 3.6 g

Molar mass of benzoic acid = 122.12 g/mol

Putting values in equation 1, we get:

$\text{Moles of benzoic acid}=\frac{3.6g}{122.12g/mol}=0.0295mol$

The chemical equation for the reaction of benzoic acid and methanol is:

$\text{Benzoic acid + methanol}\rightarrow \text{methyl benzoate}$

By Stoichiometry of the reaction

1 mole of benzoic acid produces 1 mole of methyl benzoate

So, 0.0295 moles of benzoic acid will produce = $\frac{1}{1}\times 0.0295=0.108$ moles of methyl benzoate

• Now, calculating the mass of methyl benzoate from equation 1, we get:

Molar mass of methyl benzoate = 136.15 g/mol

Moles of methyl benzoate = 0.0295 moles

Putting values in equation 1, we get:

$0.0295mol=\frac{\text{Mass of methyl benzoate}}{136.15g/mol}\\\\\text{Mass of methyl benzoate}=(0.0295mol\times 136.15g/mol)=4.02g$

• To calculate the percentage yield of methyl benzoate, we use the equation:

$\%\text{ yield}=\frac{\text{Experimental yield}}{\text{Theoretical yield}}\times 100$

Experimental yield of methyl benzoate = 1.3 g

Theoretical yield of methyl benzoate = 4.02 g

Putting values in above equation, we get:

$\%\text{ yield of methyl benzoate}=\frac{1.3g}{4.02g}\times 100\\\\\% \text{yield of methyl benzoate}=32.34\%$

Hence, the percent yield of the reaction is 32.34 %