N-Unsubstituted hydrazones of somearomaticketones and aldehydes were found to react with lead tetraacetate giving the corresponding diazo compounds as primary reaction products, and the derived 1-monoacetoxy- and 1,1-diacetoxy-1-arylalkanes, as well as azines, as final products. The yields obtained depend on the stability of the diazo compound initially formed and on the experimental conditions employed