Abstract: Compared with the traditional porous carbons and inorganic zeolites, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have the advantages of convenient preparation, easy modification, high porosity, large specific surface area and adjustable pore size, and have attracted extensive attention recently due to their potential applications in gas storage, adsorption and separation, heterogeneous catalysis, as well as magnetism. In this review, the unique advantages of MOFs as heterogeneous catalysis are firstly introduced. Then, the potential of MOFs as catalysts will be evaluated and the application status based on their structural element will be particularly summarized. Finally, we discuss the problems needed to be focused on, and provide meaningful experimental basis and theoretical value for the directional synthesis of these materials in catalysis.