Steam　reforming　of　tar　model　compounds　(benzene,　toluene　and　phenol)　was　carried　out　using　Ni-Fe/Mg/Al　catalysts　prepared　by　calcination　and　reduction　of　hydrotalcite-like　precursor.　Ni-Fe/Mg/Al　(Fe/Ni　=　0.25)　catalyst　showed　higher　activity　(∼twice　conversion　rate　based　on　catalyst　weight)　and　better　resistence　to　carbon　deposition　(∼one　order　smaller　amount　of　deposited　carbon)　than　Ni/Mg/Al.　The　difference　in　the　weight-based　rate　and　carbon　deposition　amount　between　catalysts　with　and　without　Fe　was　large　when　benzene　or　toluene　was　used　as　a　substrate　and　high　steam/carbon　(S/C)　ratio　was　applied.　On　the　other　hand,　when　phenol　was　used　as　a　substrate,　relatively　large　amount　of　carbon　derived　from　decomposition　of　phenol　was　deposited　on　Ni-Fe/Mg/Al　catalyst　even　with　high　(3.8)　S/C　ratio.　The　catalyst　loses　some　activity　for　steam　reforming　of　toluene　when　treated　with　phenol　(untreated　catalyst:　∼80%　conversion　of　toluene　(rate　51　μmol　g-1-cat　s-1);　treated　catalyst　∼60%　(rate　38　μmol　g-1-cat　s-1)),　probably　because　of　the　deposited　carbon　from　phenol.　Kinetic　studies　and　O2-　or　H2O-TPO　studies　showed　that　phenol　was　strongly　adsorbed　on　Fe　site　as　well　as　Ni　site,　and　the　adsorbed　phenol　could　be　converted　into　carbonaceous　species　under　the　reaction　conditions.　On　the　other　hand,　the　adsorbed　phenol　on　Ni　site　underwent　steam　reforming,　and　the　reaction　was　promoted　by　Fe.　©　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.