This paper reports the use of a combination of density functional theory and microkinetic modelling to establish trends in the hydrodeoxygenation rates and se- lectivites of transition metal surfaces. Biomass and bio- mass-derived chemicals often contain large fractions of oxygenates. Removal of the oxygen through hydrotreating represents one strategy for producing commodity chemi- cals from these renewable materials. Using the model developed in this paper, we predict ethylene glycol hy- drodeoxygenation selectivities for transition metals that are consistent with those reported in the literature. Further- more, the insights discussed in this paper present a framework for designing catalytic materials for facilitating these conversions efficiently.