Solvents take control Solvents take control, Published online: 08 March 2018; doi:10.1038/s41929-018-0040-6Solvents are used pervasively in catalytic studies to enhance kinetics and selectivities. Now, the analysis of biomass upgrading has been remarkably simplified by elucidating the solvation effects of dehydration for key compounds with solvent-enabled control of reactivity.