A SO3H-MCM-41 catalyst was synthesized and investigated as a highly efficient catalyst for furfural production. The effects of hydrophobicity surface and porous structure on catalytic performance in xylose dehydration were evaluated. The methyl group of the methyl propyl sulfonic acid-functionalized MCM-41 (MPrSO3H-MCM-41) catalyst enhanced the product repellent to obtain a high turn-over frequency. Moreover, the acid density of the catalyst had a significant effect on xylose conversion. Meanwhile, furfural selectivity was affected by the pore architecture. The wormhole-like structure with a bottle neck and a pore diameter in the range of 3-6 nm could provide a furfural selectivity greater than 93%. (c) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.