TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The method (M1) further involves: (ix) recycling at least a portion of the monooxygenates stream to the first reaction system, where glycols are recovered by separating finished glycol from the glycol rich stream. The glycol content of the first intermediate stream produced in step (ii) is at least 25 wt.%, based on the total oxygenates content. In the method (M1), no process heat from external source is added between the first and second reaction systems, or to the second reaction system, where the temperature increase in the second reaction system results from the exothermic heats from the first reaction system and the second reaction system. The glycol rich stream in step (vii) comprises at least 25 wt.%, based on the total oxygenates, of glycols. The second intermediate stream from the second reaction system is flash distilled to provide a stream containing at least a portion of monooxygenate intermediates as feed for production of liquid fuels. The bio-based feedstock is subjected to a digestive solvent to provide bio-based feedstock stream comprising carbohydrates and water. The conversion of carbohydrate or sugar alcohol in the first reaction system is limited to less than 80%, preferably less than 70%, more preferably less than 60%, further preferably less than 50%. The conversion of carbohydrates and sugar alcohols to monooxygenated compounds across the first reaction system and the second reaction system is less than 90%. The bottoms from flashing containing enriched concentrations of unconverted carbohydrates, sugar alcohols, glycols, and some monooxygenates, are recycle to the first reaction system. The glycols are recovered by separating from the glycol rich stream glycols and remaining oxygenates stream; (vii) further contacting, in a third reaction system, at least a portion of the remaining oxygenates stream in the presence of a aqueous phase reforming catalyst at a temperature of 160-280 degrees C to produce a recycle oxygenates stream and hydrogen; and (viii) providing at least a portion of the recycle oxygenates stream and a portion of the hydrogen to the first reaction system. The second intermediate stream is subjected to condensation to produce a liquid fuel. The second intermediate stream is subjected to dehydration and alkylation to produce a liquid fuel. In the method (M2), the temperature of the second reaction zone is at least 10 degrees C higher than the temperature of the first reaction zone, where at least a portion of either or both of the glycol-rich stream or mono-oxygenates rich stream is recycled to provide solvent for the first reaction zone or the recycled solvent is routed to a digestion zone to digest solid biomass to provide feed for the first reaction zone. The glycols are recovered by separating from the glycol rich stream glycols and remaining oxygenates stream; (vii) further contacting, in a third reaction system, at least a portion of the remaining oxygenates stream in the presence of a aqueous phase reforming catalyst at a temperature of 160-280 degrees C to produce a recycle oxygenates stream and hydrogen; and (viii) providing at least a portion of the recycle oxygenates stream and a portion of the hydrogen to the first reaction zone. Preferred Components: The ratio of the first intermediate stream provided to the first separation system and to the second reaction system is 1.5:1 to 10:1. The maximum steady state temperature of the first reaction system is at least 10 degrees C less than the maximum steady state temperature of the second reaction system. EXAMPLE - Milled bagasse (3.01 g) were charged with deionized water (60.1 g), and 5% platinum/alumina catalyst (0.901 g). The reactor was filled 39.9 bar of H2 to simulate recycle of hydrogen from the aqueous phase reforming step of a continuous process. After heating to 260 degrees C for 1.9 hours, reactor contents were sampled by HPLC. Combined yield of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol was 11.4% relative to the mass of dry bagasse charged, of which total glycols (36 wt.%) was present as ethylene glycol. Samples of reaction product were injected onto the microreactor, to demonstrate formation of aromatics-rich gasoline from the liquid phase components formed. This result demonstrates the formation of glycols from biomass.