The thermal reactions of 2-methylfuran were studied behind reflected shock waves in a pressurized driver single pulse shock tube over the temperature range 1100-1400 K and with overall densities of similar to 3 x 10(-5) mol/cm(3). A large number of products resulting from unimolecular cleavage of the ring and consecutive free radical reactions were obtained under shock heating. The unimolecular decomposition is initiated by two parallel channels : (1) 1,2-hydrogen atom migration from C(5) to C(4) and (2) a methyl group migration from C(2) to C(3) in the ring. Each channel is followed by two parallel modes of ring cleavage. In the first channel, breaking the O-C(2) and the C(4)-C(5) bonds in the ring yields CO and different isomers of C4H6, whereas breaking of the O-C(2) and the C(3)-C(4) bonds yields CH2CO and two isomers C3H4. In the second channel, breaking the O-C(5), and C(2)-C(3) bonds in the ring yields again CO and isomers of C4H6, whereas in the second mode O-C(5), C(2)-C(3), and C(3)-C(4) are broken to yield CO, C2H2, and C2H4. The four C4H6 isomers in decreasing order of abundance were 1,3-butadiene, 1-butyne, 1,2-butadiene, and 2-butyne. The major decomposition product is carbon monoxide, The rate constant for its overall formation is estimated to be k(CO) = 10(15.88) exp(-78.3 x 10(3)/RT) s(-1), where R is expressed in units of cal/(K mol). Other products that were found in the postshock samples in decreasing order of abundance were C4H4, C2H3, CH4, p-C3H4, C2H6, C2H4, a-C3H4, C6H6, C4H4O, C3H6, and C4H2. The total decomposition of 2-methylfuran in terms of a first order rate constant is given by k(total) = 10(14.78) exp(-71.8 x 10(3)/RT) s(-1). This rate and the production rate of carbon monoxide ate slightly higher than the ones found in the decomposition of furan. An oxygen-carbon mass balance among the decomposition products was obtained. A reaction scheme composed of 36 species and some 100 elementary reactions accounts for the product distribution over the temperature range covered in this study. First order Arrhenius rate parameters for the formation of the various reaction products are given, a reaction scheme is suggested, and results of computer simulation and sensitivity analysis are shown. Differences and similarities in the reactions of furan and 2-methylfuran are discussed.