Temperature-programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPDMS) was used to study the pyrolysis of PDMS and its composites with nanosized silica and ceria/silica. The results suggest that the elusive organosilicon compound, dimethylsilanone, is generated from PDMS over a broad temperature range (in some cases starting at 70 degrees C). The presence of nano-oxides catalyzes this process. Ions characteristic of the fragmentation of dimethylsilanone under electron ionization are assigned with the aid of DFT structure calculations. Possible reaction mechanisms for dimethylsilanone generation are discussed in the context of the calculated kinetic parameters. Observed accompanying products of PDMS pyrolysis, such as tetramethylcyclodisiloxane and hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, indicate that multiple channels are involved in the dimethylsilanone release.