A method for producing furfural comprising: a. providing a xylose-containing solution comprising xylose in an amount of greater than or equal to 0.5 wt.%, wherein the xylose-containing solution is an aqueous solution; b. providing an extraction solution comprising a water-insoluble boronic acid (BA: R-B(OH) 2 ) and a water-insoluble solvent; c. combining the xylose-containing solution with the extraction solution to provide a first combined solution, wherein the ratio of boronic acid to xylose in the first combined solution is greater than 1:1 molar, respectively, and wherein the first combined solution comprises a first aqueous phase and a first non-aqueous phase, said non-aqueous phase comprising at least a portion of the xylose as xylose-diboronate ester (BA 2 X); d. separating at least a portion of the first non-aqueous phase from the first combined solution; e. providing a conversion solution comprising a water-soluble solvent and water, said conversion solution has a pH of less than or equal to 4; f. combining at least a portion of the non-aqueous phase from (d) with the conversion solution in a ratio of conversion solution to the non-aqueous phase in a range from 0.1 to 10.0 by weight, respectively, to form a second combined solution; g. heating the second combined solution to a temperature T h at or above which the second combined solution consists essentially of a homogeneous liquid phase, wherein such heating converts at least a portion of the xylose-diboronate ester into furfural, h. cooling down the heated second combined solution such that the cooled second combined solution comprises (i) a second aqueous phase comprising water, water-soluble solvent, and furfural and (ii) a second non-aqueous phase comprising water-insoluble solvent, water-insoluble boronic acid, and furfural; and separating at least a portion of the second non-aqueous phase from the cooled second combined solution; and i. recovering at least a portion of the furfural in the second non-aqueous phase. a. providing a xylose-containing solution comprising xylose in an amount of greater than or equal to 0.5 wt.%, wherein the xylose-containing solution is an aqueous solution; b. providing an extraction solution comprising a water-insoluble boronic acid (BA: R-B(OH) 2 ) and a water-insoluble solvent; c. combining the xylose-containing solution with the extraction solution to provide a first combined solution, wherein the ratio of boronic acid to xylose in the first combined solution is greater than 1:1 molar, respectively, and wherein the first combined solution comprises a first aqueous phase and a first non-aqueous phase, said non-aqueous phase comprising at least a portion of the xylose as xylose-diboronate ester (BA 2 X); d. separating at least a portion of the first non-aqueous phase from the first combined solution; e. providing a conversion solution comprising a water-soluble solvent and water, said conversion solution has a pH of less than or equal to 4; f. combining at least a portion of the non-aqueous phase from (d) with the conversion solution in a ratio of conversion solution to the non-aqueous phase in a range from 0.1 to 10.0 by weight, respectively, to form a second combined solution; g. heating the second combined solution to a temperature T h at or above which the second combined solution consists essentially of a homogeneous liquid phase, wherein such heating converts at least a portion of the xylose-diboronate ester into furfural, h. cooling down the heated second combined solution such that the cooled second combined solution comprises (i) a second aqueous phase comprising water, water-soluble solvent, and furfural and (ii) a second non-aqueous phase comprising water-insoluble solvent, water-insoluble boronic acid, and furfural; and separating at least a portion of the second non-aqueous phase from the cooled second combined solution; and i. recovering at least a portion of the furfural in the second non-aqueous phase. <EOS>