emim cl at 140 u00b0 c for 0 5 h metal halide catalyst was crcl 3 products were analyzed by hplc yield of hmf was 50 7 yield of levulinic acid was 1 4 yield of formic acid was 2 5 results for examples 9 10 are listed in table 4 50 mg sorbitol and 500 mg omim cl were introduced to a vial the vial was installed into a high pressure reactor evacuated purged with n 2 the vial was shaken at 700 rpm and heated at 150 u00b0 c under 25 torr vacuum for 1 h the vial was cooled and 2 0 ml water was added for analysis by hplc conversion of sorbitol was 97 2 yield of 1 4 sorbitan was 51 6 yield of isosorbide was 20 0 sorbitol was processed as in example 9 in omim cl with 50 mg cucl 2 added as catalyst conversion of sorbitol was 95 8 yield of 1 4 sorbitan was 36 3 and yield of isosorbide was 37 3 sorbitol was processed as in example 9 in emim ch 3 so 3 liquid products were analyzed by hplc conversion of sorbitol was 82 4 yield of 1 4 sorbitan.