Towards the efficient, total glycan utilization of biomass.

From biomass to mass transportation: Waste biomass (newspaper, corn stover, straw, and wood) is converted into biofuel precursors and value-added products in excellent yield using a simple, inexpensive process involving concurrent hydrolysis, dehydration, and substitution reactions in a biphasic reactor. The hemicellulose fraction of these substrates is simultaneously converted into furfural, and together these constitute an efficient means for the total exploitation of the carbohydrate content of biomass.