Abstract: The present invention provides for a method to produce a sugar from a biomass, the method comprising: (a) providing a first mixture comprising a solubilized biomass and a distillable acid-base conjugate salt (DABCS) or deep eutectic solvent (DES), wherein (i) the DABCS is a protic ionic liquid (PIL) or a protic salt comprising a DABCS cation and a DABCS anion, and (ii) the DES is any combination of Lewis or Brønsted acid and base comprising any anionic and/or cationic species that have sufficient vapor pressure so that it can be readily distilled; and (b) distilling at least part of the DABCS from the first mixture in order to separate the at least part of the DABCS from the first mixture.