reaktanter

Reaktanter are substances that participate in a chemical reaction and are transformed, or react, to form products. In most contexts, the term corresponds to the English word reactants (and sometimes reagents). Reaktanter are typically written on the left side of a chemical equation, with their quantities indicated by stoichiometric coefficients that reflect the mole ratios required for the reaction to proceed. The identity and amount of reaktanter determine the yield and kinetics; altering them changes the rate and outcome.

Not all substances present are reaktanter. Solvents and inert media may not be consumed and thus are not usually counted as reaktanter, while catalysts can participate but are not consumed; in such cases they are described as catalysts rather than reaktanter.

Reaktanter can be pure compounds, mixtures, or solvents that participate in the reaction, and they may be reagents in a broader sense. In practice, chemists distinguish starting materials (the main reaktanter) from reagents that facilitate the reaction but undergo little or no permanent change. Mechanistic studies examine how reaktanter transform step by step into products, often via intermediate species.

In engineering and laboratory work, identifying the reaktanter and their concentrations is essential for optimization, safety, and cost. The term emphasizes the substances that undergo chemical transformation, as opposed to products, solvents, or conditions such as temperature and pressure.