The gas-phase partial oxidation of benzene and toluene to phenol and to cresols over Fe-containing ZSM-5 zeolites prepared by various methods was studied using N2O as oxidant. Over FeZSM-5 synthesized by either isomorphous substitution or ion exchange the phenol selectivity reached nearly 100% at 573 K, however, only 25-30% cresol (mainly p-cresol) selectivity was observed in the oxidation of toluene because of the formation of benzaldehyde and benzoic acid in the fast oxidation of the methyl group.