Multistep Yield Calculator
In organic synthesis, the overall yield of a multistep route is the product of each individual step's percent yield. Even modest losses at each stage compound rapidly: a 5-step synthesis with 80% yield at each step delivers only 33% overall. This calculator accepts up to 10 step yields and multiplies them together, showing the overall yield and the cumulative yield after each step. It is useful for planning total syntheses, evaluating literature routes, and comparing linear versus convergent strategies.
Multistep yield formula
Overall Yield (%) = Y(1) x Y(2) x ... x Y(n) / 100^(n-1)
Where Y(1) through Y(n) are the percent yields of each step. Equivalently: convert each step yield to a decimal (divide by 100), multiply all decimals together, then multiply by 100 to get the overall percent yield.
Planning a synthesis route
- Linear syntheses (each step uses the output of the previous) have overall yields that decrease multiplicatively.
- Convergent syntheses build fragments in parallel and join them near the end, reducing the impact of early low-yield steps.
- Use this calculator to compare routes: a 4-step route averaging 80% may beat a 6-step route averaging 90%.
- The ACS recommends minimising synthesis steps as a core green chemistry principle.
Multistep yield: frequently asked questions
How is overall yield calculated in a multistep synthesis?
The overall yield is the product of all individual step yields expressed as decimals. If step 1 gives 80% and step 2 gives 75%, the overall yield is 0.80 x 0.75 = 0.60, or 60%.
Why does overall yield drop so quickly with many steps?
Each step multiplies the running yield by a fraction less than 1. A 10-step synthesis with 90% yield at each step gives only 0.90^10 = 34.9% overall yield. This is why long syntheses are challenging and why green chemistry emphasises convergent strategies with fewer steps.
What is a realistic step yield in organic synthesis?
Step yields depend heavily on the reaction type and conditions. Simple steps often achieve 80 to 95%. Complex steps such as asymmetric reactions may be 50 to 70%. Literature total synthesis routes rarely exceed 50% overall across more than 10 steps.
Can I enter more than 5 steps?
This calculator accepts up to 10 steps. Leave unused step fields blank or at 100% and they will not reduce the overall yield.
How does multistep yield relate to atom economy?
They are independent metrics. Atom economy evaluates inherent waste in the balanced equation regardless of how well the reaction ran. Overall yield measures how much product was actually isolated across all steps. Both are used together to evaluate the efficiency of a synthetic route.
Official sources
- ACS Green Chemistry Institute: Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry.
- NIST Chemistry WebBook: Chemical reference data.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 15 June 2026. See our methodology.