Acid catalysis can be applied to hydrolyses. For example, in the conversion of cellulose or starch to glucose. For the case of ester hydrolysis and amides, it can be defined as an acid catalyzed nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction. Carboxylic acids can be produced from acid hydrolysis of esters.
Acids catalyze hydrolysis of nitriles to amides. Acid hydrolysis does not usually refer to the acid catalyzed addition of the elements of water to double or triple bonds by electrophilic addition as may originate from a hydration reaction. Acid hydrolysis is used to prepare monosaccharide with the help of mineral acids but formic acid and trifluoroacetic acid have been used.
Acid hydrolysis can be utilized in the pretreatment of cellulosic material, so as to cut the interchain linkages in hemicellulose and cellulose.