Aromatic　volatile　organic　compounds　(VOCs)　are　usually　pollutants　to　the　atmosphere　environment　and　human　health.　In　the　present　work,　we　first　adopted　the　co-reduction　and　KIT-6-templating　strategies　to　prepare　the　AuxMny　intermetallic　compounds　and　mesoporous　iron　oxide　(meso-Fe2O3),　respectively,　and　then　used　the　impregnation　method　to　generate　the　AuxMny/meso-Fe2O3　catalysts.　Catalytic　performance　of　these　materials　was　evaluated　for　benzene,　toluene　or　o-xylene　(typical　aromatics)　oxidation.　It　is　found　that　the　Au5Mn2/meso-Fe2O3　catalyst　exhibited　the　best　activity:　the　temperatures　at　benzene　conversions　of　50　and　90　%　were　237　and　254　degrees　C　at　a　space　velocity　of　20,000　mL/(g　h),　with　the　TOFAu　values　and　specific　reaction　rates　at　210　and　230　degrees　C　being　1.08　and　2.29　s　(1),　and　6.92　and　11.58　mmol/(g(Au)　s),　respectively.　Such　excellent　performance　of　Au5Mn2/meso-Fe2O3　was　related　to　its　well　dispersed　Au5Mn2　nanoparticles,　high　adsorbed　oxygen　species　concentration,　good　low-temperature　reducibility,　high　benzene　adsorption　capacity,　and　strong　benzene　adsorption.　The　benzene　chemisorption　mechanism　and　adsorbed　oxygen　species　could　greatly　influence　the　oxidation　of　benzene.　According　to　the　first-principles　calculations,　we　find　that　benzene　adsorption　on　the　surface　of　Au　in　Au5Mn2/meso-Fe2O3　was　in　the　form　of　a　pi　bond,　in　which　the　Au　could　obtain　electrons　from　benzene　ring　in　the　presence　of　benzene　adsorption,　resulting　in　a　stronger　adsorption　of　benzene　and　thus　increasing　the　catalytic　activity　for　benzene　oxidation.　The　mechanism　of　benzene　oxidation　might　take　place　via　the　route　of　benzene　-＞　phenol　-＞　benzoquinone　-＞　maleate　(acetate)　-＞　carbon　dioxide　and　water.　(C)　2021　Elsevier　Inc.　All　rights　reserved.