Hydrochlorothiazide decomposes upon irradiation with near-UV light (lambda greater than 310 nm) both in methanol and aqueous solutions. In the photolysis the chlorine substituent is removed to be replaced by either--H or--OR from the solvent ROH. Hydrolysis of the thiadiazine ring is superimposed upon the dechlorination. The presence of oxygen inhibits the decomposition. The mechanism of the photolysis