The thermal reaction of propene was examined around in the presence of 800 K less than 20% oxygen. At initial time, the production of H 2 , CH 4 , C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 6 , allene, C 3 H 8 , 1,3-butadiene, butenes, 3-and 4-methylcyclopentene, a mixture of 1,4-and 1,5-hexadienes, methylcyclopentane (or dimethylcyclobutane), 4-methylpent-1-ene, and hex-1-ene, was observed along with hydrogen peroxide, CO, and small quantities of ethanal and CO 2 . Oxygen increases the initial production of hydrogen and of most hydrocarbons and, particularly, that of C 6 dienes and of cyclenes. However, the production of allene, methylcyclopentane (or dimethylcyclobutane), and 4-methylpent-1-ene is practically not affected. A kinetic study confirms the mechanism proposed for the thermal reaction of propene. Formation of allene, thus, involves a four-center-unimolecular dehydrogenation of propene, that of 4-methylpent-1-ene is explained by an ene bimolecular reaction while methylcyclopentane (or dimethylcyclobutane) probably arises from a bimolecular process involving a biradical intermediate. Other products arise from a conventional chain radical mechanism.A kinetic scheme is proposed in which chains are primarily initiated by the bimolecular step:which competes with the second-order initiation of propene pyrolysis. Since allene production is not affected by oxygen, it is concluded that allyl radicals are not dehydrogenated by oxygen; but they oxidize in a branching step involving allylperoxyl radicals; r. radicals other than methyl, and allyl are dehydrogenated according to the conventional process:r· ϩ O !: unsaturated ϩ HO · 2 2