Amorphous carbon nitride with high nitrogen content (N/C = 1.14) was first successfully synthesized via a novel gas-solid reaction between carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) vapor and melamine (C3N6H6) at 600degreesC under atmospheric pressure. The product has been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and simultaneous thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry. It was revealed that the carbon nitride is sp(3)-dominated and the reaction-driven sp(2) to sp(3) transformation in the material was proposed. The electrical properties of the material were also investigated, showing high p-type conductivity.