UNITED STATES            
                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                              SCHEDULE 13G

               UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                              ANNUAL FILING

AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
(NAME OF ISSUER)
COMMON
(TITLE CLASS OF SECURITIES)
009158106
(CUSIP NUMBER)
12/31/98
(DATE OF EVENT WHICH REQUIRES FILING OF THIS STATEMENT)

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX TO DESIGNATE THE RULE PURSUANT TO WHICH THIS
SCHEDULE IS FILED:

               (X)  RULE 13D-1(B)
               ( )  RULE 13D-1(C)
               ( )  RULE 13D-1(D)

*THE REMAINDER OF THIS COVER PAGE SHALL BE FILLED OUT FOR A
REPORTING PERSON'S INITIAL FILING ON THIS FORM WITH RESPECT TO THE
SUBJECT CLASS OF SECURITIES, AND FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENT
CONTAINING INFORMATION WHICH WOULD ALTER THE DISCLOSURES PROVIDED
IN A PRIOR COVER PAGE.

THE INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REMAINDER OF THIS COVER PAGE SHALL
NOT BE DEEMED TO BE "FILED" FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 18 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 ("ACT") OR OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO THE
LIABILITIES OF THAT SECTION OF THE ACT BUT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ALL
OTHER PROVISIONS OF THE ACT (HOWEVER, SEE THE NOTES).




















CUSIP NO. 009158106          13G       PAGE 2 OF 5 PAGES


1.  NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
    S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF PERSON
    STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, ACTING IN VARIOUS FIDUCIARY   
    CAPACITIES.     04-1867445

2.  CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP.*

    NOT APPLICABLE                                   A __
                                                     B __
3.  SEC USE ONLY

4.  CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

5.  SOLE VOTING POWER
    3,776,424 SHARES
6.  SHARED VOTING POWER
    11,874,068 SHARES
7.  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    3,504,784 SHARES
8.  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
    12,393,108 SHARES
9.  AGGREGATED AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
    15,897,892 SHARES
10.  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
     SHARES*
     NOT APPLICABLE 
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
     6.93 %
12.  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
     BK

                         SCHEDULE 13G        PAGE 3 OF 5 PAGES
ITEM 1.
  (A)  NAME OF ISSUER
       AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.    

  (B)  ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES
       7201 HAMILTON BLVD.
       ALLENTOWN PA  18195-1501
       
ITEM 2.

     (A)  NAME OF PERSON FILING
          STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE


     (B)  ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE,
          RESIDENCE

          225 FRANKLIN STREET, BOSTON, MA 02110


     (C)  CITIZENSHIP

          BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

     (D)  TITLE CLASS OF SECURITIES
          COMMON
     
     (E)  CUSIP NUMBER
          009158106

ITEM 3.   IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B), OR
          13D-2(B), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:

     (B)  _X_  BANK AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3(A)(6) OF THE ACT

                                                       PAGE 4 of 5 PAGES
ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP
  (A)  AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
       15,897,892 SHARES
  (B)  PERCENT OF CLASS
        6.93%
  (C)  NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS:
    (I)  SOLE POWER TO VOTE OR TO DIRECT THE VOTE
         3,776,424 SHARES
   (II)  SHARED POWER TO VOTE OR TO DIRECT THE VOTE
         11,874,068 SHARES
  (III)  SOLE POWER TO DISPOSE OR TO DIRECT THE DISPOSITION OF
         3,504,784 SHARES
   (IV)  SHARED POWER TO DISPOSE OR TO DIRECT THE DISPOSITION OF
         12,393,108 SHARES

ITEM 5.   OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS

          NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 6.   OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER
          PERSON.

          NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 7.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH
         ACQUIRED THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT         
         HOLDING COMPANY

          NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 8.  IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP

          NOT APPLICABLE

ITEM 9.  NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP

          NOT APPLICABLE

                                                      PAGE 5 OF 5 PAGES

ITEM 10.  CERTIFICATION

          THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION SHALL BE INCLUDED IF THE
          STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-1(B):

          BY SIGNING BELOW I CERTIFY THAT, TO THE BEST OF MY
KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF, THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO ABOVE WERE
ACQUIRED IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS AND WERE NOT ACQUIRED
FOR THE PURPOSE OF AND DO NOT HAVE THE EFFECT OF CHANGING OR
INFLUENCING THE CONTROL OF THE ISSUER OF SUCH SECURITIES AND WERE
NOT ACQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH OR AS A PARTICIPANT IN ANY
TRANSACTION HAVING SUCH PURPOSES OR EFFECT.

     THIS REPORT IS NOT AN ADMISSION THAT STATE STREET BANK AND
TRUST COMPANY IS THE BENEFICIAL OWNER OF ANY SECURITIES COVERED BY
THIS REPORT, AND STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMS BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF ALL SHARES REPORTED HEREIN
PURSUANT TO RULE 13D-4.

                         SIGNATURE

     AFTER REASONABLE INQUIRY AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND
BELIEF, I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION SET FORTH IN THIS STATEMENT
IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND CORRECT.

                         8 FEBRUARY 1999
                    
                         STATE STREET BOSTON CORPORATION
                         STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,    
                         TRUSTEE


                         /s/ Mary Sue Spain                            
                         Assistant Vice President