Dissolution and depolymerization of barley starch in selected ionic liquids

► Ten ILs were studied for dissolution and depolymerization purposes of starch. ► Rate of the reaction is affected by the structure of the cation and the anion of IL. ► Imidazolium halides dissolve and depolymerize starch fast to starch oligomers. ► Formates dissolve starch more slowly than halides and the products are larger. ► [EMIM][Me2PO4] and [NH3CH2CH2OH][HCOO] dissolve well but depolymerize only slightly.