A　cobalt(II)-chitosan　coordination　polymer　has　been　prepared　by　soaking　a　chitosan　film　in　CoCl2　aqueous　solution.　The　results　have　been　investigated　by　means　of　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　Fourier　Transform　infrared　FT-IR　spectroscopy,　thermal　analysis　and　electrical　conductivity　measurements.　The　XPS　and　FT-IR　spectra　reveal　that　the　chitosan　coordinated　with　cobalt(II)　through　both　oxygen　and　nitrogen　atoms　in　the　chitosan　chain.　The　XPS　results　show　that　the　coordination　polymer　possess　the　same　shake-up　peaks　with　CoCl2,　indicating　that　the　cobalt　(II)-chitosan　coordination　polymer　is　high　spin　and　the　coordination　number　of　cobalt(II)　centers　is　four,　and　the　electrical　conductivity　measurements　confirm　this　result.　Also,　cobalt(II)　coordination　polymer　can　be　used　as　a　catalyst,　and　the　polymerization　of　vinyl　acetate　was　carried　out　in　the　presence　of　the　coordination　polymer/Na2SO3/H2O　at　pH　7　and　normal　temperature.　The　polyvinyl　acetate　possessed　a　random　structure.　©　2004　John　Wiley　and　Sons,　Ltd.