1. What is Atom Economy?

Atom Economy is a measure of the efficiency of a chemical reaction - the percentage of reactant atoms that end up in the desired product. It's a key concept in green chemistry that helps minimize waste.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Atom Economy formula:

Where:

• \( \text{MW}_{\text{desired}} \) — Molecular weight of the desired product (g/mol)
• \( \sum \text{MW}_{\text{reactants}} \) — Sum of molecular weights of all reactants (g/mol)

Explanation: The equation compares the mass of atoms in the desired product to the total mass of atoms in all reactants.

3. Importance of Atom Economy

Details: Higher atom economy means less waste and more efficient reactions. Ideal reactions have 100% atom economy where all reactant atoms are incorporated into the product.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter molecular weights in g/mol. Both values must be positive numbers. The result shows what percentage of reactant mass ends up in the product.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good atom economy percentage?
A: Ideally >80%. Addition reactions have 100%, substitution typically 50-80%, elimination often <50%.

Q2: Does atom economy consider yield?
A: No, it's theoretical maximum efficiency. Actual efficiency would multiply atom economy by yield.

Q3: How does this differ from reaction yield?
A: Yield measures how much product you got vs theoretical maximum. Atom economy measures how many atoms from reactants end up in product.

Q4: What reactions have 100% atom economy?
A: Addition reactions (like Diels-Alder) and rearrangement reactions where all atoms are conserved in product.

Q5: Why is low atom economy problematic?
A: It generates more waste, requires more raw materials, and increases environmental impact and costs.