[en] The kinetics of the radiation-induced dechlorination of hexachloroethane was investigated in deoxygenated alcohol solutions. The major products were hydrogen chloride, pentachloroethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, and aldehydes or acetone. No 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane was observed. The radiation-chemical yields of these products and the disappearance of hexachloroethane were quite high; these facts indicate that a chain reaction is involved in these processes. After the hexachloroethane had effectively dechlorinated down to tetrachloro compounds, there were no marked changes in the lower chlorinated compound upon continuous irradiation. Tetrachloroethane was formed via pentachloroethane, but tetrachloroethylene was produced by means of C₂Cl₅→C₂Cl₄ + cl reaction and the yield was particularly high in methanol compared with the other alcohols. The chain length of the dechlorination from hexachloroethane to pentachloroethane and from pentachloroethane to tetrachloroethane increased in the order of 2-propanol>ethanol>methanol. The G(-C₂Cl₆) and G(products) were proportional to (dose rate)sup(-1/2), and the ratio of G(C₂HCl₅) to G(C₂Cl₄) was a constant in each alcohol solution, regardless of the dose rate. The α-hydroxy alkyl radical is the chain carrier for the dechlorination reaction of hexachloroethane in alcohol solutions. The relative rates of the dechlorination were found to be 1, 3, and 14 for C*H₂OH (*: radical), CH₃C*HOH (*: radical), and (CH₃)₂C*OH (*: radical), respectively. The order in the rate is in agreement with that of the redox potential of these radicals. The effect of the irradiation temperature on the products yields was also examined. (auth.)