Hydrodechlorination of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (CH3-CCl3) over silica-supported palladium catalyst was studied in a conventional flow reactor at atmospheric pressure. The main product was CH3-CH3 and its selectivity was in the range of 75-90% regardless of the reaction temperatures and the composition of reaction mixture. The rest was mainly occupied by partially hydrodechlorinated products, CH3-CHCl2 and CH3-CH2Cl, and a coupling product, n-C4H10. The contact time dependence of product distribution showed that the all products were formed by parallel reactions. A reaction mechanism is proposed, which involves rapid dechlorination of CH3-CCl3 into ethylidyne species. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.