A compound having the formula 3,3,3-trifluoropropanal oxime, and an improved process for forming 3,3,3-trifluoropropanal and its oxime. The process for producing 3,3,3-trifluoropropanal involves reacting an alkali or alkaline earth metal salt of an alcohol, which alcohol has the formula ROH, where R is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, with CF.sub.3 CH.dbd.CHCl under conditions sufficient to yield a product mixture comprising at least one of CH.sub.3 CH.dbd.CHOR and CF.sub.3 CH.sub.2 CH(OR).sub.2 ; and then reacting the product mixture of with a C.sub.3 -C.sub.16 alkanoic acid, and heating under conditions sufficient to form 3,3,3-trifluoropropanal. The oxime is prepared by reacting hydroxylamine with 3,3,3-trifluoropropanal under conditions sufficient to produce 3,3,3-trifluoropropanal oxime.