Multipodal manganese oxide nanocrystals, synthesized through the thermal decomposition of a Mn-oleate complex, exhibited catalytic activity for the synthesis of a quinoxaline derivative from a -hydroxy ketone with a 1,2-diamine. The MnO nanocrystals are single crystalline and uniform multipodal, with an average estimated distance of (47 +/- 2) nm between the tips of two pods.