NOVELTY - Producing biofuels from biomass comprises: (i) providing biomass (102); (ii) contacting biomass with aqueous media to form extracted biomass; (iii) separating at least a portion of aqueous liquor from extracted biomass, thus providing aqueous liquor stream (106) and extracted biomass solids stream (108); (iv) contacting aqueous liquor stream with purification substrate to produce treated carbohydrate stream (112); (v) contacting treated carbohydrate stream directly with hydrogen to form many oxygenated intermediates (122); and (vi) processing at least a portion of oxygenated intermediates.    USE - The method is useful in the production of: liquid biofuel from biomass; pulp useful for producing paper; and alcohol (all claimed), where the biofuel is used as transportation fuel including synthetic gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel.    ADVANTAGE - The method: results in an increased conversion and conversion efficiency by minimizing catalyst poisoning and extending the catalyst life; and results in a capital cost savings and process operational cost savings.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Producing biofuels from biomass comprises: (i) providing a biomass (102) containing celluloses, hemicelluloses and lignin; (ii) contacting the biomass with an aqueous media to form an extracted biomass comprising celluloses, hemicelluloses, soluble carbohydrates and lignin; (iii) separating at least a portion of an aqueous liquor from the extracted biomass, thus providing an aqueous liquor stream (106) comprising soluble carbohydrates and an extracted biomass solids stream (108) comprising celluloses, hemicelluloses and lignin; (iv) contacting the aqueous liquor stream with a purification substrate effective to remove sulfur compounds and nitrogen compounds, thus producing a treated carbohydrate stream (112) having less than 35% of the sulfur content and less than 35% of the nitrogen content of the untreated aqueous liquor feed based on the untreated aqueous liquor stream; (v) contacting the treated carbohydrate stream directly with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenolysis catalyst to form many oxygenated intermediates (122); and (vi) processing at least a portion of the oxygenated intermediates to form a liquid fuel. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) a system (I) comprising: (a) a vessel that receives the biomass feedstock and the aqueous media (operating under conditions effective to produce the extracted biomass) and discharges the aqueous liquor stream; (b) a soluble carbohydrate treater comprising the purification substrate, that receives the aqueous liquor and discharges the treated carbohydrate stream; (c) a hydrogenolysis reactor comprising the hydrogenolysis catalyst, that receives hydrogen and the treated stream and discharges the oxygenated intermediate stream, where a first portion of the oxygenated intermediate stream is recycled to the vessel as at least a portion of the aqueous media; and (d) a fuels processing reactor comprising a condensation catalyst, that receives a second portion of the oxygenated intermediate stream and discharges the liquid fuel; and    (2) a system (II) comprising (a), (b) and (c) as above per se; (d1) a first fuels processing reactor comprising a dehydrogenation catalyst, that receives a second portion of the oxygenated intermediate stream and discharges an olefin-containing stream; and (d2) a second fuels processing reactor comprising an alkylation catalyst that receives the olefin-containing stream and discharges the liquid fuel.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure schematically illustrates a block flow diagram of a higher hydrocarbon production process.    Biomass (102)    Aqueous liquor stream (106)    Extracted biomass solids stream (108)    Treated carbohydrate steam (112)    Oxygenated intermediates (122)