Biomass alcoholysis is a way of high-value utilization of biomass,which can be directly converted into 5-ethoxymethylfurfural (EMF) known as a liquid fuel and fuel additives with similar combustion characteristics and energy density to gasoline and diesel.The high octane number,high boiling point and stable flash point of EMF make it a suitable transportation fuel.In this paper,the feedstock,catalytic system and solvent system for the preparation of liquid fuel by biomass alcoholysis was reviewed.The current situation and developing trend of the preparation of liquid fuels from different materials including lignocellulosic materials,fructose and glucose were summarized.The homogeneous,heterogeneous and ionic liquid catalytic systems in the process of EMF preparation from biomass were reviewed and analyzed.The advantages and disadvantages of different catalytic systems were compared.Traditional homogeneous catalysts have the advantages of easy availability and low cost with a moderate yields of EMF in general,but the recycle of the homogeneous catalysts and the corrosion of equipment are still far from satisfactory.Among them,ionic liquids have attracted wide attention due to their low toxicity,high polarity,adjustable acidity,easy separation and recovery,and high catalytic efficiency,but the cost is too high for large-scale industrial production,which is the main drawback to be solved.Heterogeneous catalysts can reduce equipment corrosion and make it much easier for the separation and recovery after the reaction.Most of the heterogeneous catalysts have the advantage of adjustable acidity,high mechanical strength,high thermal stability and high chemical stability.Heterogeneous catalysts are therefore considered to be promising.The function and effect of solvent system in the process of biomass alcoholysis were discussed.Ethanol is the most widely used solvent system in the EMF production,for it is also the necessary reactant in the alcoholysis reaction.Organic solvents including DMSO(dimethyl sulfoxide),THF(tetrahydrofuran),GVL(γ-valerolactone) and n-hexane are used together with ethanol as a solvent system to form a co-solvent system.The co-solvent can increase the yield of EMF and reduce the formation of by-products,but there are still some problems to be solved,such as difficult separation of products from solvents,high cost,low recovery rate,environmental pollution and so on.The studying trend of biomass alcoholysis to prepare EMF is prospected.