Abstract A systematic study of the cleavage of element-element bonds in compounds of the type RnE-ERm (R = CH3, CF3; E = P, As, S, Se, Te; n,m = 1, 2) by the group IV A element hydrides Me3M′H (M′ = Si, Ge, Sn; Me - CH3) has been carried out. To evaluate the reaction pathway, for a number of compounds the attack of H2O, CH3OH, HBr and HI has been investigated. Possible reaction intermediates have been synthesized by independent routes and tested under comparable conditions.