BACKGROUNDDirect conversion of cellulose into platform chemicals, is regarded as one of the most promising aspects of biomass resource utilization. However, the development of direct conversion of cellulose to high value-added chemicals such as sorbitol still remains a tremendous problem owing to the robust structure of cellulose to resist degradation. RESULTSIn this study, ball-milled microcrystalline cellulose was dissolved in ionic liquids, and finally converted to sorbitol smoothly through hydrolytic hydrogenation processes. Both ball-milling and ionic liquids dissolution can effectively destroy the strong inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bond network formed between hydroxyl groups within cellulose. Furthermore, water-soluble ionic cellulose came into being due to the dissolution of cellulose in ionic liquids, which increased the contact of cellulose to catalyst remarkably. The crystalline index of cellulose can be reduced from 79.9% to 3.2% under an optimum ball-milling time of 4 h, and the preferred cellulose dissolution solvent was selected to be [Amim]Cl. Finally, the final product, sorbitol was successfully synthesized over the catalysis of Nafion NR50 and Ru/AC (active carbon) with the sorbitol yield to be 34.3% at 150 degrees C for 1 h. CONCLUSIONThis study proposed a novel approach about direct conversion of cellulose to sorbitol with ionic liquids as well as extended the application of ionic liquids in the field of conversion of renewable biomass to platform chemicals. (c) 2018 Society of Chemical Industry