LAUSR

New core–shell structured metal–organic coordination polymer (CP) microspheres with a hierarchical microporous–mesoporous–macroporous structure are synthesized by a one-pot template-free method. The ligand L with a Schiff-base functional group is obtained by reacting 3-hydroxy-4-aminobenzoic acid with para-benzaldehyde. The coordination polymer microspheres (Zn-L-CP) are obtained by mixing the ligand L and zinc nitrate hexahydrate together under hydrothermal conditions. The resultant coordination polymer microspheres with a core–shell structure are characterized by FT-IR and solid state NMR spectroscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. The obtained Zn-L-CP microspheres are proved to be effective heterogeneous catalysts for the deacetylation reaction with the merits of easy recycling and stability. The yield is 96% when using methanol as solvent, and the yield can remain at 90% after seven cycles.