The hydrogenative ring opening of methylcyclobutane and methylcyclopentane was studied over silica-supported Pt and Pd catalysts by kinetic and infrared OR) spectroscopic measurements. First, the temperature (473-673 K) and hydrogen pressure (3.3-73.2 kPa) dependences of the ring-opening reactions were determined. The reaction rates were determined over the initial and the working catalysts for both compounds. According to the type of product formation vs. hydrogen pressure dependence curves either dissociative or associative adsorption was suggested for methylcyclobutane and methylcyclopentane. The geometry of adsorbed intermediates was proposed on the basis of the regioselectivity of ring opening. The regioselectivity data show close to statistical ring opening for both compounds, which indicate flat-lying adsorbed intermediates. The structure of adsorbed intermediates was also studied by transmission IR spectroscopy. The H-D exchange reactions between the surface hydroxyl groups and adsorbed species in most cases confirmed the type of adsorption suggested by kinetic measurements.