The Keggin type vanadium substituted molybdophosphoric acid (H5PMo10V2O40) supported on amine functionalized SBA-15 was tested in direct hydroxylation of benzene to phenol in the liquid phase. The catalyst was characterized by various techniques such as X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), N-2 absorption-desorption surface area measurement and SEM. Gas chromatography of products showed high catalytic activity and selectivity to phenol. As we expected, the leaching of heteropoly acid from support during the reaction was negligible, because of strong interaction between heteropoly acid and amine groups of surface. The influence of reaction temperature, reaction time, amount of catalyst and H2O2 were investigated. Under optimized conditions 20% conversion of benzene and 95% selectivity to phenol was achieved. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.