A series of Mn-Ce oxides were prepared using a redox-precipitation method and the complete catalytic oxidation of o-xylene was examined Catalytic activity was evaluated in terms of both o-xylene conversion and CO(2) yield The effects of the Mn(at)/Ce(at) atomic ratio and calcination temperature on the features of catalyst structure and catalytic behavior were examined When the Mn(at)/Ce(at) ratio was 1 5 and the catalyst was calcined at 400 degrees C, the conversion of o-xylene was 100% and the CO(2) yield was 100% at 240 degrees C X-ray diffraction (XRD). X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H(2)-TPR) studies revealed that the catalysts prepared via the redox-precipitation method possessed a homogenous dispersion of amorphous MnO(2) and CeO(2) nanoparticles, in the main active phase, MnO(2) provided available oxygen species and CeO(2) enhanced oxygen mobility The synergistic effects between MnO(2) and CeO(2) potentiated the catalytic activity necessary for the complete catalytic oxidation of o-xylene (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved