Protected mesoporous SBA-15 phase was synthesized by grafting the complex Chloro (S,S)(-)[N-3-tert-butyl-5-chloromethyl salicylidene]-N'-[3',5'-di tert-butyl salicylidene] 1,1'-binapthyl-2,2'-diamine manganese(III) through the reactive 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane(3-APTMS) group. The surface properties of the functionalized catalyst were analyzed by a series of characterization techniques like elemental analysis, XRD, N-2 sorption measurement isotherm, FT-IR, XPS, and solid state C-13 NMR. The screening of the catalyst Mn(III)-L-SBA-15 and neat Mn(III)-L complexes was done for the oxidation reaction of thioanisole (methyl phenyl sulfide) using TBHP as an oxidant. Mn(III)-L-SBA-15 catalyst shows higher activities and exhibit enantiomeric excess comparable to homogeneous catalyst. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.