In　order　to　develop　a　high-efficiency　iron　oxide　catalyst　for　the　slurry-phase　hydrocracking　of　poor　heavy　oil,　the　mesoporous　iron　oxide　was　successfully　synthesized　by　using　the　waste　wood　powder　as　a　template,　and　the　influence　of　alkali　concentration　in　the　resulting　solution　on　crystal　phase,　morphology　and　pore　structure　of　the　synthesized　samples　was　investigated.　The　crystal　phase　of　the　synthesized　iron　oxide　transfers　from　α-Fe2O3　to　γ-Fe2O3,　and　their　crystal　sizes　gradually　decrease　with　an　increase　of　alkali　concentration　based　on　the　XRD　and　HRTEM　results.　Additionally,　the　iron　oxide　with　mesoporous　structure,　larger　surface　area　and　pore　volume　is　obtained　at　the　higher　concentration　of　alkali　in　solution　confirmed　by　N2　adsorption-desorption　analysis.　The　assessment　result　of　the　iron　oxide　catalyst　employed　in　the　slurry-phase　hydrocracking　of　vacuum　residue　(VR)　illustrates　that　the　yields　of　gasoline　and　diesel　distillates　obtained　over　Fe-O-B20,　Fe-O-B24　and　Fe-O-B30　catalysts　are　higher　compared　with　those　over　Fe-O-B2　and　Fe-O-B14　catalysts,　it　can　be　attributed　that　more　exposure　Fe　active　sites　derived　from　their　larger　surface　area　and　pore　volume　availably　improve　the　catalyst　hydrogenation　activity,　which　can　inhibit　the　over-cracking　reaction　of　intermediate　products　and　the　condensation　of　polycyclic　aromatic　hydrocarbon　in　VR　to　enhance　the　yields　of　gasoline　and　diesel　distillates.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd