Process for the preparation of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl nitrites

A process for the preparation of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl nitrite by reaction of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkanol with nitrogen oxide and oxygen, in a reactor designed as a scrubber column, at 10.degree. to 150.degree. C. and 0.5 to 6 bar, and at a reaction time of 1 to 500 seconds, wherein the nitrogen oxide and oxygen is fed into the lower part of the reactor, said nitrogen oxide being nitrogen monoxide either alone or in combination with a member selected from the group consisting of N.sub.2 O.sub.3, NO.sub.2, N.sub.2 O.sub.4 and mixtures thereof, wherein the NO fed is in an amount that is more than 50% of the nitrogen oxide, based on the total gram atoms of Nitrogen in said nitrogen oxide, and wherein said nitrogen oxide is undiluted or diluted with one or more inert gases, the proportion of said inert gas or gases being 0-90% by volume of all gases used, the amount of oxygen being 0.15-0.3 moles per mole of NO which exceeds the number of moles of NO.sub.2, each mole of dinitrogen tetroxide being counted as two moles of nitrogen dioxide for the purpose of calculating said amounts, and wherein the total amount of C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkanol used is 0.8 to 2 moles per gram atom of nitrogen in the nitrogen oxide, part of which is used in the lower part of the reactor and part of which is used at the reactor head, wherein said alkanol used at the lower part of the reactor is atomized using an inert gas, the oxygen or both, and is in an amount of 5 to 60% of the total amount of alkanol used, while the remainder of said alkanol is used at the reactor head.