Nanosecond laser flash photolysis of an aqueous solution of 4-chlorophenol (lambda(exc) = 266 nm) produces, at pulse end, a transient with absorption maxima at 384, 370, and ca. 250 nm; upon addition of an H-donor such as 2-propanol, this spectrum is converted into that of the phenoxyl radical (lambda(max) = 400 and 385 nm), and in presence of O-2, it is converted into a transient with a broad absorption band peaking at 460 nm. This reaction behavior can be understood by assuming formation of the carbene, 4-oxocyclohexa-2,5-dienylidene, by elimination of HCl from excited 4-chlorophenol; the pulse end transient spectrum is assigned to this species, while the 460 nm band is assigned to benzoquinone O-oxide formed by addition of O-2 to the carbene. Both phenoxyl radical and benzoquinone O-oxide are produced upon photolysis of 4-chlorophenol in neat alkanols as well. On the other hand, photolysis in n-hexane yields the triplet-triplet absorption, which is absent in polar solvents, and no indication of carbene formation. It can be concluded that the primary step of 4-chlorophenol photolysis in aqueous or alcoholic solution is heterolytic C-Cl bond scission; a quantum yield of 0.75 is determined for it in neutral or acid aqueous medium upon excitation at 266 nm. Photolysis of chlorophenolate produces the same transients, but with a markedly lower yield, and, in addition, e(aq)(-) and 4-chlorophenoxyl radicals.