Magnesium has been inserted electrochemically into manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieves (OMS-5 MnO2) at room temperature. Discharge/charge profiles show that a large amount of Mg, i.e., 0.37 Mg/Mn can be inserted electrochemically using 1 M Mg(ClO4)(2)/AN electrolyte when OMS-5 is prepared in presence of acetylene black. X-ray diffraction analysis and discharge/charge profiles verify that a solid state solution reaction takes place upon Mg insertion into the host lattice with concurrent reduction of Mn4+ to Mn2+. However, upon each reduction of Mn by Mg insertion and resultant dissolution into electrolyte, decrease in the active compound occurs consequently. A low intrinsic electronic conductivity of OMS-5 was suggested to play a vital role in Mg insertion into the host. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.