The reactio n of n itro g en ato m s, p ro d u ced b y a n electric discharge, w ith a c etald eh y d e h as been stu d ied in a flow system , a m ass sp e c tro m e te r being u sed to follow th e course of th e reaction. Sam pling w as c arried o u t th ro u g h a sm all hole in a gold d iap h rag m . T he m ain stable p ro d u cts w ere H C N , H 2 a n d C O ; a sm all a m o u n t of g lyoxal w as also form ed. I n a d d i tio n appreciable a m o u n ts o f a su b stan ce y ielding ions of

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... e = 43 w ere o b tain ed . A rg u m en ts are p resen ted for id en tify in g th is w ith th e ra d ic a l C H 2CHO. Sm all a m o u n ts of a p ro d u c t giving ions of m/e = 86 w ere also p ro d u ced . T he n a tu re of th is m a te ria l is discussed. N o e v i dence w as o b tain ed for a n y h y d ro g en a b stra c tio n b y n itro g en ato m s. E x p e rim e n ts w ere also carried o u t w ith C H 3CDO to clarify c e rta in asp ects o f th e proposed reac tio n m echanism . A few ex p erim en tal resu lts o b ta in e d w ith p ro p io n ald eh y d e can be u n d ersto o d in sim ilar term s. The ra te c o n sta n t of th e reactio n N + C H 3CHO -> H C N + H 2 + HCO w as d educed to be 1-20 + 0-15 x 1010 m ole-1 cm 3 s-1 a t 296 °K.