A reactant consumed in a chemical reaction that is present in the smallest relative amount to the other reactants, which are not in their stoichiometric proportion. The excess reactants remain unreacted. For example, in the oxidation of o-xylene to phthalic anhydride:
three moles of oxygen are required in the reaction for each mole of o-xylene. However, in practice an excess amount of oxygen is added and the o-xylene is therefore the limiting reactant.