Solvolysis is one of the important processes of biomass liquefaction. To produce superior quality liquid biofuel from biomass under mild conditions, it is essential to exploit novel reactive liquid solvent. Furthermore, the evaluation of liquefaction efficiency is carried out mainly by the means of analysis of the products derived from biomass liquefaction. In the present study, liquefaction of poplar wood powder in acidified 1-octanol was investigated with a stainless steel autoclave. Residue, heavy oil and light oil were separated from the liquefaction products by extraction with acetone and n-hexane successively. FTIR analysis was carried out on these liquefaction compositions to illuminate the liquefaction regularities and mechanisms of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin of wood. The results showed that liquefaction oils were complex mixture containing hydroxide, carbonyl, methoxyl, aromatic and aether. Liquefactions of cellulose and hemicellulose were easier than that of lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose were converted to light oil, however, lignin was mainly converted to heavy oil. At 150 ℃, lignin was depolymerized and degraded into micromolecular aromatic compounds, among which condensation reactions took place when reaction temperature increased.