Supercritical water has been focused on as an environmentally attractive reaction media where organic materials can be decomposed into smaller molecules. The reaction behavior of lignin model compound was studied in near- and supercritical water with a batch type reactor. Catechol was used as a model compound for aromatic rings in lignin. The reaction was carried out at temperatures of 643-693 K at various pressures under an argon atmosphere. The chemical species in the aqueous products were identified by gas chromatography mass wspectrometry (GCMS) and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The effect of pressure and reaction time on the conversion process of catechol was presented. The main products from the conversion of catechol was phenol and the value of global rate constant for catechol conversion (k) is 3.0 x 10(-4)-11.0 x 10(-4) min(-1) (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.