Abstract.Reactions of "C recoil atoms with C,H, in the presence of 0, lead to the formation of high yields of labelled C,H,CHO in the gaseous (6%) and liquid (&lo%) phase, whereas none was detected in the solid phase. For the liquid phase, 63% of the "C activity in C,H,CHO is in the -CHO group, while 37% is part of the aromatic ring; in the case of gaseous C,H, with 37% 0,, the amount of "C in the ring is only 11 %. The reactions possibly leading to the formation of ["C]C,H,CHO and the "C distribution over the molecule are discussed.