Highly distributed Pd NPs supported on the surface of sulfonic acid functionalized metal organic frameworks (MIL-101-SO₃H) were synthesized via a simple thermal decomposition method. The as-synthesized Pd/MIL-101-SO₃H was used to catalyze a hydrogenation/esterification cascade reaction for the conversion of biomass derivatives (furoic acid) into high value chemicals (ethyl tetrahydro-2-furoate).