Low-density polyethylene was modified to incorporate aniline moieties by reactive processing with 4-aminobenzenesulfonyl azide. Under melt-processing conditions, the loss of nitrogen produces a sulfonyl nitrene which, in the singlet state, interacts with the substrate primarily by C-H insertion. Polymeric blends prepared from aniline-grafted polyethylene and nylon-66 showed improved tensile and impact properties over and above nylon blended with virgin polyethylene.