In the present work, the hydro-conversion of biomass derived furfural (FAL) into fuel additive 2-methylfuran (2-MF) is studied over Cu-Co/Al2O3 catalyst. The influence of various operating parameters such as temperature, pressure, catalyst amount, time and FAL concentration on the conversion of FAL to 2-MF was optimized using well known Taguchi method as statistical tool. According to Taguchi method, under optimum reaction conditions viz. temperature 220 degrees C, pressure 40 bar, reaction time 5 h, catalyst loading 0.75 g, and FAL concentration of 1.75 M, maximum 2-MF yield (87%) was obtained. The detailed kinetics of the liquid-phase hydrogenation of FAL to 2-MF in two steps was also studied in the range of temperatures from 200 to 220 degrees C and in the range of pressures from 20 to 40 bar. The initial rate of reaction for both conversion of FAL to FOL and FOL to 2-MF varied linearly with hydrogen pressure at various temperature and the catalyst loading, however, effect of reactant substrate behave distinctly. In case of FAL, rate of reaction varied linearly and order of reaction is found to be almost one, whereas, for FOL disappearance, order of reaction found to be almost zero beyond 2.25 gmol/L of FOL concentration. The experimental data could also be explained using Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetics. A dual-site mechanism with dissociative adsorption of hydrogen and surface reaction as the rate-controlling step provided the best fit for the experimental data. (C) 2018 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.