The invention discloses preparation and application of a core-shell composite catalyst capable of synthesizing catechol carbonate (CC) by using carbon dioxide (CO2) and catechol. According to the preparation, nanocrystalline metal oxide is taken as a core, a mesoporous molecular sieve of which the bore diameter is 0.5-10 nm is taken as a shell, an acid-alkali site catalytic action of the oxide anda dehydration property of the molecular sieve are utilized, an organic solvent and a dehydrating agent are not needed, and the high-selectivity synthesis of the CC with an annular carbonic ester structure is achieved while the generation of a straight chain carbonate polymer is suppressed. The preparation and application of the core-shell composite catalyst capable of synthesizing the catechol carbonate (CC) by using the carbon dioxide (CO2) and the catechol have the advantages that the catalyst is friendly to the environment, raw materials are cheap easy to obtain, the preparation of the catalyst is simple, the conversion rate of the catechol is high ( more than 90%), the selectivity of the CC is good (more than 95%), the operation is easier, and the industrial prospect is wide.