A kinetic study is reported here on hydrolysis of three pyridinecarboxamides in high-temperature water in the temperature range of 190-250 degrees C at 8 MPa. 2-Pyridinecarboxamide, 3-pyridinecarboxamide and 4-pyridinecarboxamide hydrolyze to corresponding picolinic acids. 2-Picolinic acid is further decarboxylated to pyridine. Experiments at different temperatures show that the first-order rate constants display an Arrhenius behavior with activation energies of (110.9 +/- 2.3), (70.4 +/- 2.1) and (61.4 +/- 1.8) kJ.mol(-1) for 2-pyridinecarboxamide, 3-pyridinecarboxamide and 4-pyridinecarboxamide, respectively. These kinetic parameters for pyridinecarboxamide hydrolysis are more reliable and accurate than those from the consecutive hydrolysis of cyanopyridines. (c) 2014 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.