Abstract: Yeast tRNA Val 1 alkylation with 2', 3'-O-4-(N-2-chloroethyl-N-methylamino) benzylidene d(pC-G)-A proceeds at 20 degrees - 30 degrees C in the complementary complexes which are formed by d(pC-G)-A greater than RC1 binding to 3 sequences of tRNA Val 1 : psi-C-G58 in the T loop, C-G40 at the 3'-side of the anticodon loop and C-G18 in the D loop. The reaction in the complexes results in A53, I35, and psi 13 alkylation to form beta-/N-methyl-N-(formylphenyl 17 amino/ethyl-tRNA Val 1 with the relative rate constants of the alkylation that are 3 or 2 orders of magnitude higher than that for the alkylation without a complex formation. It is the third nucleotide from the 5'-terminus of the binding site of the modifying agent that is subjected to alkylation in the t RNA Val 1. The course of the alkylation does not depend on the possible base pairing of the 3'-terminal nucleotide of the reagent. The extent of the reagent binding and the relative rate constants of the alkalytion in the complexes indicate the following order of the complex stability: (psi-C-G58) greater than (CO-G40) approximately (C-G18) at 20 degrees and (psi-C-G58) greater than (C-G40) greater than (C-G18) at 30 degrees.