The amorphous inorganic phase of an ordered amorphous mesoporous Nb 2 O 5 with two dimensional hexagonal (2D-hex) structure was crystallized with maintaining the original well arranged porous structure. The difference in surface property between amorphous and crystalline Nb 2 O 5 with similar ordered mesoporous structure was compared. It was found from water adsorptiondesorption isotherms and observation by infrared (IR) spectroscopy that the amorphous sample was hydrophilic and that the surface OH groups were acidic. On the other hand, the OH groups on crystalline mesoporous Nb 2 O 5 were non-acidic and inside the pores was less hydrophilic. The surface property was also compared by a catalytic reaction, oxidation of cyclohexe by an aqueous solution of H 2 O 2 . The high (95%) selectivity for 1,2-epoxycyclohexane was obtained at 40°C for 2 h in methanol solvent over crystalline mesoporous Nb 2 O 5 at 12% conversion, while amorphous mesoporous Nb 2 O 5 showed high (68%) selectivity for 1,2-cyclohexanediol in acetonitrile solvent at 60°C for 2 h at 22% conversion. The differences in selectivity and the optimal solvent between amorphous and crystalline samples were interpreted in terms of the acidic feature of surface OH groups and hydrophilicity. While similar selectivity was observed over non-porous crystalline Nb 2 O 5 , much higher conversion over crystalline mesoporous Nb 2 O 5 was attained at the same surface area. Thus, an advantage of mesoporous structure is attributed to the higher contact time of molecules inside the pores to the catalyst surface than those outside the particles.