The reactivity of 12 nitrogen compounds with different organic functions (nitro, nitrite, nitrate, oxime, isocyanate, amide, amine, nitrile) was investigated over a 1% Pt/delta-Al2O3 catalyst (mean metal particle size, 20 nm) in oxygen excess conditions (5% O-2 + 5% H2O). Two series of experiments, at temperatures ranging from 150 to 500 degrees C, were carried out: (i) decomposition of the N compounds without any addition of NO and (ii) reduction of NO by these compounds. The results were compared with the catalytic behavior of the Pt catalyst in NO reduction by propene. Some of the N compounds as well as oxygenated products were identified by GC-MS in the NO + C3H6 reaction. The nitrogen organic intermediates could be classified into two groups: (i) class I compounds, which react with NO at relatively high temperatures (300 degrees C) with a high selectivity to N-2 (nitro, nitrite, nitrate, nitrile), and (ii) class 2 compounds, which reduce NO in the same temperature range as propene (200-225 degrees C) with a selectivity of approximate to 50% close to that of NO reduction by propene (oximes, amides, amines, and, to a lesser extent, isocyanate). A mechanism is proposed in which oxime species play a key role in NO reduction. N2O would be produced mainly by a Nef reaction (leading to ketones and N2O), whereas N-2 would be formed by successive steps starting with a Beckmann rearrangement of oxime species, with the byproducts of the N-2 formation being acids, alcohols, and nitrato and nitrito species. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.