The anodic oxidation of a lignin model compound, veratrylpropanone-1, beta-guaiacyl ether (I) has been studied in acetonitrile and aqueous acetonitrile solutions on a Pt electrode against 0.1 N LiClO₄. The anodic oxidation of (I) has been shown by different methods to be a complicated multi-electron and multi-stage process. A comparison of electrochemical characteristics of compounds simulating the aromatic fragments of (I) as well as analysis of electrooxidation products from prepatative electrolysis at the potential of the first anodic wave allowed to established that the electrooxidation of (I) involves cleavage of the beta-ether bond due to oxidation of guaiacyl fragment of the molecule.