Rate constants for photolytic reactions of p-substituted 2-diazopropiophenones were determined in acetonitrile. The reactions show a comparatively low value of activation energy and activation enthalpy to alkylcarbenes or other arylcarbenes. The transition state corresponds to the step of a new carbonyl bond formation. The high negative ρ -values are shown in Hammett plots. The kinetics results and EPR spectrum are in accord with a phenomenon that occurs in interconversion between singlet and triplet carbenes.