The present communication reports on reactive sputtered nanostructured C-N/TiNx multilayers deposited in pure nitrogen. Carbon and titanium sputtering cathodes are operating concurrently in the side by side configuration. Experimental parameters of relevance for the pseudomorphic growth of the carbon nitride multilayer system, for instance, nitrogen flow and the rotation speed of the substrate holder, varying the bilayer thickness, are discussed. Nanostructured composite coatings, typically 2-3 mu m thick, were deposited at a pressure ranging from 0.2 to 1 Pa, and seeding with TiN sputtered in pure nitrogen is reported for the C-N/TiNx system. The acoustic emission scratch test was used, both for measurement of coating adhesion and for tribological characterization. Relevant friction parameters, such as friction coefficient and film transfer, when a WC or a Si3N4 ball is reciprocating on the nanostructured multilayer were studied. Further the dynamic impact method was used for testing the coating system, and tribological studies of pure nitrogen sputtered films are compared with results earlier obtained for C-N/TiN, multilayer coatings, reactively sputtered in nitrogen/argon mixtures.