Chromia-pillared zirconium phosphate and zirconium phenylphosphonate were prepared by an indirect intercalation method. The pillared materials have surface area in the range of 316-462 m(2)/g and narrow pore size distributions with greater than or equal to 70% mesoporosity. They are efficient catalysts for selective oxidation of aromatics, alkanes, cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes and alcohols using 30% H2O2 as the oxidant with catalytic activities much higher than CrAPOs and CrMCM-41.