Catalytic hydrodechlorination reactions of p‐chloro‐m‐cresol (PCMC) and p‐chloroaniline (PCA) were investigated in a slurry reactor using a Ru/TiO2 catalyst. The organic reaction intermediates, m‐cresol and aniline, were further converted into methylcyclohexanol and cyclohexylamine respectively. Kinetics of PCMC hydrogenation was studied over the ranges in temperature, 323–373 K, H2 partial pressure, 0.34–1.38 MPa, PCMC concentration, 3.5–14 mM and catalyst loading, 0.1–2 kg/m3. The reaction orders with respect to PCMC and H2 were evaluated as 0.5 and 0.8 respectively. It was found that aniline hydrogenation is the rate‐determining step in the hydrotreatment of PCA. Kinetics of aniline hydrogenation was studied at 343 and 363 K over the ranges in H2 partial pressure, 0.34–1.38 MPa, aniline concentration, 5.4–21.5 mM and catalyst loading, 0.1–0.6 kg/m3. The reaction orders with respect to aniline and H2 were found to be 1.3 and 1.0 respectively. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering