Abstract: The present invention describes the use of an ionic liquid acid catalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulose into reducing sugars and other degradation products. The use of an ionic liquid catalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulose provides a low volatility catalyst and eliminates the hazards associated with the handling of mineral acids. Conditions such as temperature, catalyst modification, and ionic liquid solvent control the production of reducing sugars and other products. The combination of using an ionic liquid as the solvent for cellulose and ionic liquid catalyst provides an unprecedented tunability of the reaction properties giving more control over the conversion process to produce dehydration products with higher yields depending on the desired feedstock.