Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) has been catalytically hydrolysed to CO2 + HCl over acidic solids (1, TiO2 (rutile); 2, TiO2/SiO2; 3, gamma-Al2O3; 4, Al2O3/SiO2; 5, 13% Al2O3-SiO2) between 520 and 6 10 K without loss of activity. Rates have been measured as a function of water vapour pressure (P-H) at various pressures of CCl4 (P-C) and temperatures, and the results modelled by simple Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate expressions. Over 1, 2 and 4 CCl4 adsorption is insignificant, and a satisfactory expression is r = kP(C theta H)(1 - theta(H)) where theta(H) = fractional coverage by water. Water adsorption is defined by a Langmuir equation, and regression analysis of the linearised equation provides values for its adsorption coefficient b(H) and for k, the temperature dependence of which leads respectively to the heat of water adsorption qH and the true activation energy E, Apparent activation energies are markedly dependent on PH, except on 1 where water is very strongly adsorbed. On 3 and 5, adsorption Of CCl4 cannot be ignored, and a bimolecular rate expression: r = k theta(C)theta(H) (theta(C) = coverage by CCl4) works well; multilinear regression analysis of the linearised expression then gives values of k, b(H) and b(C) (the adsorption coefficient Of CCl4). Extensive structural and chemical characterisation has helped to explain certain aspects of catalytic performance. Dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) and chloroform (CHCl3) have also been hydrolysed over I and 3; rates increase with the number of chlorine atoms, and Arrhenius parameters are reported. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.