Term: optical yield
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.O04315

Definition:
In a chemical reaction involving chiral reactants and products, the ratio of the optical purity of the product to that of the precursor, reactant or catalyst. This should not be confused with enantiomeric excess. The optical yield is in no way related to the chemical yield of the reaction.

Related Terms:
1) chemical reaction (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01033).
2) chiral (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01057).
3) optical purity (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.O04310).
4) enantiomeric excess (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02070).
5) catalyst (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C00876).
6) chemical yield (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01041).
7) stereoselectivity (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.S05991).

Source: PAC, 1994, 66, 1077. 'Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 1146 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466051077)

Citation: 'optical yield' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.O04315

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