The　use　of　basic　catalysts　to　catalyze　the　transesterification　of　sec-butyl　acetate　and　methanol　to　prepare　sec-butanol　has　become　a　research　hotspot　in　the　chemical　industry.　Compared　to　traditional　basic　catalysts,　basic　ionic　liquids　have　more　efficient　catalytic　efficiency　and　robust　reusability,　making　them　a　new　class　of　green　catalysts　with　development　potentials.　Therefore,　this　study　designed　and　synthesized　five　choline-based　basic　ionic　liquids,　and　confirmed　through　characterization　and　experiments　that　the　basicity　of　anions　is　a　key　factor　affecting　their　catalytic　activity.　The　results　from　the　response　surface　method　(RSM)　analysis　showed　that　suitable　reaction　conditions　of　imidazolized　choline　[Ch][IM]　were　as　follows:　the　reaction　temperature　was　45℃,　the　alcohol　ester　ratio　was　4.42∶1,　and　the　catalyst　dosage　was　8.91%,　the　conversion　rate　of　sec-butyl　acetate　reached　93.95%,　which　was　much　higher　than　that　of　traditional　catalysts　such　as　sodium　alcohol,　thus　confirming　its　high　catalytic　efficiency　in　the　transesterification　reaction　and　the　possibility　of　application　in　the　industrial　production　of　sec-butanol.　©　2023　Chemical　Industry　Press.　All　rights　reserved.