Methyl　ethyl　carbonate　(EMC)　is　the　primary　raw　material　for　the　electrolyte　of　lithium-ion　batteries.　It　is　mainly　prepared　by　the　transesterification　reaction　of　dimethyl　carbonate　(DMC)　and　EtOH.　However,　homogeneous　alkaline　catalysts　such　as　sodium　alcohol　commonly　used　in　industry　are　easy　to　deactivate　and　challenging　to　separate　and　recover.　Therefore,　the　alkaline　ionic　liquid　decorated　zeolitic　imidazolate　frameworks　(IL@ZIFs)　heterogeneous　catalysts　were　prepared　using　a　simple　method　with　DBU　as　an　inducer.　In　the　synthetic　route　of　IL@ZIFs,　the　ligand　of　ZIFs　can　form　an　ionic　liquid　with　DBU,　and　deprotonated　ligands　will　rapidly　coordinate　with　metal　ions　at　room　temperature.　The　DBU　can　also　play　the　structural　guidance　and　stabilizer,　which　is　conducive　to　the　rapid　and　effective　preparation　of　ZIFs　materials.　Meanwhile,　the　DBU,　which　has　a　large　molecular　diameter,　will　be　trapped　in　the　pore　cage　and　can　combine　with　other　protic　materials　(imidazole,　triazole,　2-methylimidazole,　phenol,　etc.)　to　form　alkaline　ionic　liquids.　The　prepared　DBU-IL@ZIFs　were　used　as　heterogeneous　catalysts　for　synthesizing　EMC　by　transesterification　reaction.　The　DBU-PO@ZIF-8　composite　with　phenol　as　anion　has　better　catalytic　activity.　Under　the　appropriate　reaction　conditions,　the　yield　of　EMC　can　reach　55.7%　with　high　selectivity　of　94.7%.　The　catalytic　mechanism　of　DBU-PO@ZIF-8　in　the　transesterification　reaction　was　also　explored　and　revealed.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd