Abstract: Three MoS₂ catalysts were synthesized by a hydrothermal method using different sulfur precursors such as thiourea, L-cystine and sulfur powder; their differences in the structure, morphology, and catalytic activity in the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of p-cresol were comparatively investigated. The results illustrated that the sulfur source has a significant influence on the morphology and surface area of the as-synthesized MoS₂ catalysts. All the hydrothermally synthesized MoS₂ catalysts show much higher activity in HDO than the commercial MoS₂ sample. Among three MoS₂ catalysts, the one prepared from thiourea, with a high surface area and flower-like morphology, exhibits the highest activity in HDO; over it, a deoxygenation degree of 99.3% is achieved at 300℃.