Hydropyrolysis (HyPy) of Yanzhou bituminous coal was carried out in a pressurized thermobalance under pressures of 3 to 7MPa and temperature ranging from 298 to 1073 K. The desulfurization yield was obtained from elemental analysis of residual char. The volatile sulfide was detected by an on-line gas chromatograph with a FPD detector. A comparison pyrolysis (Py) in nitrogen atmosphere was also performed. The hydrogen can greatly promote the effect of desulfurization and >90% sulfur in the coal can be removed. About 65% of sulfur removed in HyPy was converted into H 2 S and only 35% of sulfur entered into the liquid phase, while 80% of sulfur entered into the liquid. The kinetic parameters of desulfurization were determined by an overall first-order reaction model. The desulfurization process in HyPy and Py of Yanzhou bituminous coal can be regarded as in two stages according to the evolution profiles of H 2 S.