The effects of structural changes on the rates of hydrolysis of a series of chlorothionoformate esters and the analogous chlorodithioformate esters have been studied. For both classes of compound, the reactivity is enhanced by increased electron donation by the hydrocarbon group. These results, the activation parameters for the hydrolyses of the methyl compounds, and the solvent isotope effect are shown to be consistent with the operation of the S N1 mechanism.