Ionic liquids (ILs) are known as green solvents

and have been widely used in the dissolution and transformation of biopolymers

the extraction of bioactive compounds and metal ions

and the capture of SO

2

or CO

2

. However

less attention was given to the separation of bio-based chemicals

such as diols and organic acids. Bio-based chemicals can be efficiently separated by organic solvent-based salting-out extraction (SOE) from fermentation broths

while organic solvents are normally unfriendly to environment and process safety in commercialized production due to their toxicity or/and flammability. In recent years

the IL-based SOE system has been explored in the separation of bio-based chemicals as an alternative of organic solvent-based SOE system. In this review

the progress of IL-based SOE of biobased chemicals has been summarized

including the effect of ILs structure on the formation of aqueous two phases

and the influences of ILs structure and concentration

temperature and pH on the partition behaviors of target products and ILs as well as removal of impurities. Most of bio-based chemicals could be distributed into the IL-rich phase with high recovery

while the partition behaviors of bio-based chemicals are some

times different from that in organic solvent-based SOE systems. Although the results of ILbased SOE are promising

further studies are still required in the increased selectivity of target products over by-products

recovery and recycling of ILs

and the separation between ILs and bio-based chemicals. Additionally

three kinds of integrated bioprocesses would be developed on basis of utilization of ILs as extractant for SOE

catalyst for condensation reaction and solvent for pretreatment of lignocellulose.