Conversion of glucose and cellulose into value-added products in water and ionic liquids

Lignocellulosic biomass contains about 45% cellulose. Conversion of cellulose and cellulose-derived glucose into value-added chemicals and liquid fuels benefits sustainable development of our society and has received much attention. Water and ionic liquids (ILs) are two kinds of green solvents. The unusual properties of the green solvents provide some unique advantages for efficient and greener conversion of cellulose and glucose, which have been studied extensively. This review discusses mainly the recent progress in the conversion of glucose and cellulose in water or ILs by oxidation, hydrogenation, and dehydration reactions. An outlook is presented in the last part of the article to highlight the challenges and opportunities related to this interesting area of great importance.