a b s t r a c tThis report describes a new route to synthesize single-crystalline manganese-containing spinel nanowires (NWs) by a two-step hydrothermal and solid-state synthesis. Interestingly, a nanowire or nanorod morphology is maintained during conversion from MnO 2 /MnOOH to CuMn 2 O 4 /Mg 2 MnO 4 , despite the massive structural rearrangement this must involve. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) curves of the products give preliminary demonstration that CuMn 2 O 4 NWs are catalytically active towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline solution, exhibiting five times the magnitude of current density found with pure carbon black.