This work reports the synthesis and characterization of mixed oxide vanadium-manganese V2O5/K-OMS-2 at various V/Mn molar ratios and prepared by the impregnation method. Characterization of these new composite materials was made by elemental analysis, BET, XRD, FT-IR, SEM and TEM techniques. Results of these analyses showed that vanadium impregnated samples contained mixed phases of cryptomelane and crystalline V2O5 species. Oxidation of various alcohols was studied in the liquid phase over the V2O5/K-OMS-2 catalyst using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) and H2O2 as the oxidant. Activity of the V2O5/K-OMS-2 samples was increased considerably with respect to K-OMS-2 catalyst due to the interaction of manganese oxide and V2O5. The kinetic of benzyl alcohol oxidation using excess TBHP over V2O5/K-OMS-2 catalyst was investigated at different temperatures and a pseudo-first order reaction was determined with respect to benzyl alcohol. The effects of reaction time, oxidant/alcohol molar ratio, reaction temperature, solvents, catalyst recycling potential and leaching were investigated. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.