Organic nitrites are prepared from alcohols and sodium nitrite in sulfuric acid solution. They decompose slowly on standing, the decomposition products being oxides of nitrogen, water, the alcohol, and polymerization products of the aldehyde.  They are also prone to undergo homolytic cleavage to form alkyl radicals, the nitrite C–O bond being very weak (on the order of 40–50 kcal ⋅ mol).