Nettoreaktion

NettoReaktion, also written Netto-Reaktion, is a concept in chemistry and related disciplines describing the overall chemical transformation obtained by summing a sequence of elementary reactions and canceling all intermediates. The net equation shows only the species that are consumed or produced in the complete process, providing a compact stoichiometric summary of the mechanism.

To determine a NettoReaktion, one writes each elementary step with its stoichiometric coefficients, adds all steps together, and then cancels species that appear on both sides of the combined equation (intermediates). The result is the net reaction, which should conserve mass and charge. This approach helps verify that a proposed mechanism is consistent with the overall transformation and can aid in stoichiometric calculations and yield estimates. For example, a two-step sequence might be Step 1: A → D and Step 2: D + B → C. The NettoReaktion is A + B → C, with D eliminated as an intermediate.

NettoReaktion is commonly used in reaction mechanism analysis, catalysis, and metabolic or biochemical pathway modeling. It is distinct from kinetic descriptions such as rate laws, which govern how fast a reaction proceeds rather than which species are involved in the net transformation. In practice, the concept helps chemists and engineers compare different pathways, balance reactions, and design processes with desirable stoichiometry and product distributions. In English-language literature the term is usually referred to as the “net reaction” or “overall reaction.”