TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The method (M1) further involves precipitating the pretreated lignocellulosic material from the ionic liquid to form a regenerated lignocellulosic material; recycling the ionic liquid after precipitation of the lignocellulosic material; and microbial converting the sugar into a biofuel. In the method (M1), the dissolving step involves mixing while heating at 50-150 degrees C. The dissolving step is carried out in the absence of water. The dissolving step is carried out such that the ionic liquid comprises less than 1 wt.% of water. The dissolving step is carried out in the absence of a nitrogen-containing base. The dissolving step is carried out such that the ionic liquid comprises less than 1 wt.% of nitrogen-containing base. The precipitation step involves adding a regenerating solvent to the solution. The regenerated lignocellulosic material has a amorphous basic structure (at least 95%). The recycling step involves removing the regenerating solvent from the ionic liquid. The ionic liquid comprises an ionic liquid which is recycled from a previous pre-treatment step. At least one further step involves isolating the lignocellulosic material from the ionic liquid and converting the isolated lignocellulosic material into a sugar. The converting step involves enzymatic hydrolysis. The microbial converting step involves contacting the sugar with ethanol forming bacteria. In the method (M2), the precipitating step involves adding a regenerating solvent to the solution. In the method (M3), the isolating step involves precipitating the hemicellulose from the ionic liquid. The precipitating step involves adding to the recycled ionic liquid a solvent in which the hemicellulose is not soluble. Preferred Components: The ionic liquid comprises a material formed of a cation and an anion. The cation is selected from imidazoles, pyrazoles, thiazoles, isothiazoles, azathiozoles, oxothiazoles, oxazines, oxazolines, oxazaboroles, dithiozoles, triazoles, delenozoles, oxaphospholes, pyrroles, boroles, furans, thiophenes, phospholes, pentazoles, indoles, indolines, oxazoles, isoxazoles, isotetrazoles, tetrazoles, benzofurans, dibenzofurans, benzothiophenes, dibenzothiophenes, thiadiazoles, pyridines, pyrimidines, pyrazines, pyridazines, piperazines, piperidines, morpholones, pyrans, annolines, phthalazines, quinazolines, guanidiniums, quinxalines and/or choline-based analogs. The anion is selected from halogens, phosphates, alkylphosphates, alkenylphosphates, BF4-, PF6-, AsF6-, NO3-, N(CN)2-, N(SO3CF3)2-, amino acids, carboranes (which is optionally substituted), perchlorates, pseudohalogens, metal chloride-based Lewis acids, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and/or 1-6C carboxylates. The reactant comprises glucose. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.