An active bifunctional Ni/H beta was prepared by decomposing Ni(CO)(4) to dispersive metallic Ni onto H beta and applied in hydroconversion of oxydibenzene (ODB), which was used as a model reaction for the catalytic hydroconversion (CHC) of lignin or lignin oligomers to hydrocarbon fuels. The effects of reaction temperature, initial H-2 pressure (IHP), and reaction time on the CHC of ODB was studied. Ni/H beta was found to be effective for converting ODB into cyclohexane at 200 degrees C under higher IHP. The mechanism for the CHC of ODB was discussed and the difference in mechanism under lower and higher IHP can be ascribed to the hydrogen-accepting abilities of unsaturated hydrocarbon products.