A nanosized highly ordered mesoporous zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4; ZF) was synthesized via co-precipitation method, further sulfated with ammonium sulfate solution to obtain sulfated ZF (SZF) and have been used for the synthesis of nopol by Prins condensation of beta-pinene and paraformaldehyde. The NH3-TPD and pyridine sorption DRIFT-IR studies revealed the significant enhancement in Lewis acidic sites of the zinc ferrite on sulfatation. The influence of various reaction parameters such as reaction temperature, effect of substrate stoichiometry and catalyst loading has been investigated. It gave 70% conversion of beta-pinene with 88% selectivity to nopol. The spent catalyst was regenerated and reused successfully up to four cycles with slight loss in catalytic activity. The nanosized SZF catalyst was found to be highly active towards several other commercially important acid catalyzed reactions such as isomerization, acetalization and aldol condensation. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.