Ordered mesoporous carbon (CST-A) obtained by soft-templating method under acidic condition was used for preparation of nickel containing catalyst by incipient wetness impregnation with an aqueous solution of NiCl2 center dot 6H(2)O. The reduction of as prepared catalysts by 10% H-2/Ar at 673K led to formation of well dispersed active metallic phase with average nickel particles size similar to 11 nm. 2 wt.% Ni/CST-A was examined as a catalyst in hydrodechlorination (HDC) of trichloroethylene in liquid phase, without presence of an additional organic solvent in the reaction mixture. Ethane and ethylene were the predominant product of reaction. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies for catalysts after reduction and after HDC reaction indicated that use of hydrophobic, mesoporous active carbon as the support for nickel led to formation of resistant for sintering and leaching catalyst and the effective material for catalytic removal of trichloroethylene from water. Post-reaction deposits investigated by the temperature programmed hydrogenation (TPH) showed substantial amounts of carbon-containing deposit, with C-2-hydrocarbons desorbing at a relatively low temperature (similar to 650 K). (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.