The graphitic mesoporous carbon (GMC) was synthesized by using SBA-15 as template and ionic liquid as a novel carbon source with the assistance of ferric nitrate. A homogeneous and stable conducting film could be formed with graphitic mesoporous carbon/1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (GMC/BMIMPF6) composite on the electrode surface, which was particularly useful for preparing modified electrode to determinate the hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC). The cyclic voltammetry (CV) of GMC/BMIMPF6/GC electrode showed two couples of independent well-defined quasi-reversible redox peaks for HQ and CC. The peak current value of cathode was linear with the concentration of HQ in the range of 1 x 10(-7) to 5.0 x 10(-5) mol L-1 in the presence of 5 x 10(-5) mol L-1 CC and with the concentration of CC in the range of 1 x 10(-7) to 5.0 x 10(-5) mol L-1 in the presence of 5 x 10(-5) mol L-1 HQ with detection limits (S/N = 3) of 5 x 10(-8) mol L-1 (HQ) and 6 x 10(-8) mol L-1 (CC), respectively. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.