Direct one pot synthesis of manganese containing ordered mesoporous silicate with Pm3n cubic symmetry with a maximum manganese loading of approximately 4.8 wt% was achieved under acidic synthesis conditions. XRD, N-2 sorption, TEM and SEM studies confirmed well-ordered cubic mesoporous structure typically of SBA-1 type materials. Diffuse Reflectance UV-Vis, FTIR and EPR studies concluded the framework incorporation of Mn3+ ions as well as extra-framework Mn2+ ions at higher Mn loadings. Further, MnSBA-1 was also shown to be active for oxidation of ethylbenzene with TBHP as oxidant. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.