Experiments carried out under well-controlled conditions and density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations evidence that Cu and Au nanoparticles supported on a TiC(001) surface are quite active for the dissociation of the SO 2 molecule. The Cu/TiC(001) and Au/TiC(001) systems cleave both S–O bonds of SO 2 at a temperature of 150K, displaying a reactivity much larger than that of TiC(001) or extended surfaces of bulk copper and gold. The origin of the high activity of the Cu/TiC(001) and Au/TiC(001) systems lies on the interaction between the C atoms of the substrate and the metal atoms of the supported particle, which results in a large polarization of its electron density. Experiments and theory consistently indicate that the Cu/TiC system is more active toward SO 2 dissociation than the Au/TiC system. This type of systems may provide alternative and efficient DeSO x catalysts.