Fe-containing nickel phosphate molecular sieves (Fe-VSB-5) were hydrothermally synthesized in weak basic conditions under microwave irradiation and characterized by SEM, XRD, N-2-adsorption/desorption, DRS-UV-vis, and FT-IR spectroscopy using PhCN and CDCl3 as probe molecules. The catalytic activity of Fe-VSB-5 was tested for the phenol hydroxylation and wet phenol oxidation with H2O2. The increase in iron content in Fe-VSB-5 leds to an increase in the reaction rates. The increases in activity can be explained by the role of the Fe species, which increases the generation of radicals. The Fe-VSB-5 samples were stable against the leaching out of Fe ions. The catalytic activity of Fe-VSB-5 was compared to the catalytic activity of traditional Fe-containing materials. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.