AbstractAn organosolv (ethylene glycol) hardwood lignin has been thermally treated in the presence of tetralin, a hydrogen donor solvent. The effects of reaction temperature and time on product distribution were studied as a function of a seventy index,Xc= ℓn (RωwithRω= Δtt× exp [(Tr‐ Tb)/ω] where Δt= time,Tr= reaction temperature,Tb= base temperature, and ω = characteristic parameter. Under the conditions used, up to 60% of the lignin can be converted to liquid and gaseous products. Syringols, guaiacols, aromatic aldehydes and ketones predominate at low treatment severities whilst phenol, catechol and their methyl and ethyl derivatives are the main monomers at high severities. Comparison of our data with parallel works is shown to be effectively done through the severit