The reduction of dimethyl and diethyl disulfides by hydrogen under atmospheric pressure in the presence of sulfide catalysts with different compositions was studied. Methanethiol or ethanethiol, respectively, was the main reaction product on all catalysts at T = 200degreesC. The same behavior was observed for the hydrogenation of dimethyl and diethyl disulfides, but the rate of transformation of diethyl disulfide on most catalysts was higher than that of dimethyl disulfide. In the formation of alkanethiols, alumina-supported metal sulfides were more active than those supported on carbon or silica gel. Among the alumina-based catalysts, tungsten sulfide was least active and rhodium sulfide was most active. In the presence of the aluminorhodium sulfide catalyst, the reaction rate increased with temperature and with an increase in the initial concentrations of hydrogen and dimethyl disulfide in the reaction mixture to 15 vol % and 2 vol %, respectively.