Final answer:
The theoretical yield in benzaldehyde borohydride reduction is the maximum amount of benzaldehyde that can be produced based on the stoichiometry of the reaction. It is calculated using the balanced chemical equation and the mole ratio between the reactants and products.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theoretical yield in benzaldehyde borohydride reduction refers to the maximum amount of benzaldehyde that can be produced based on the stoichiometry of the reaction. This is calculated using the balanced chemical equation and the mole ratio between the reactants and products. For example:
2 C6H5CHO + NaBH4 → 2 C6H5CH2OH + NaBO2
If you have a certain amount of benzaldehyde and excess sodium borohydride, you can calculate the theoretical yield by converting the given mass of benzaldehyde to moles and using the mole ratio to determine the maximum moles of benzaldehyde that can be produced. Finally, you can convert the moles of benzaldehyde to grams using its molar mass.