A　Co-modified　zeolite　(Co/TS-1)　catalyst　is　prepared　and　evaluated　for　the　catalytic　hydrodeoxygenation　(HDO)　of　the　lignin-derived　model　compound　guaiacol　under　mild　conditions　at　1　MPa　H2　and　200　°C.　According　to　the　systemic　experimental　investigations　including　reduction　temperatures,　metal　loading　and　reaction　time,　it　is　found　that　the　guaiacol　conversion　and　cyclohexanol　selectivity　over　guaiacol　HDO　are　significantly　improved　by　regulating　the　Ti　content,　Co　content　and　reduction　temperature,　in　which　5.0%Co/TS-1　(Si/Ti　=　110)　reduced　in　600　°C　shows　the　superior　HDO　performance　with　94.3%　guaiacol　conversion　and　88.7%　cyclohexanol　selectivity.　Combined　with　XRD,　TEM,　BET,　NH3-TPD,　Py-IR,　H2-TPR,　UV–Vis　and　XPS　characterizations,　it　is　confirmed　that　the　introduction　of　appropriate　Ti　could　modulate　the　catalyst　Lewis　acid　sites　and　the　interaction　between　Co　and　support　to　affect　the　metal　reduction　degree,　to　realize　the　improvement　of　the　substrate　adsorption　and　exposing　more　metallic　Co0　active　sites,　resulting　in　higher　HDO　performance.　In　addition,　the　reaction　pathway　of　guaiacol　HDO　to　cyclohexanol　over　Co/TS-1　is　proposed　via　demethoxylation　of　guaiacol　to　generate　reaction　intermediate　phenol.　©　2022　Elsevier　Inc.