Mesoporous stannosilicate molecular sieves with the MCM-41 structure have been synthesized by hydrothermal methods and characterized in detail by elemental analysis, XRD, N-2 adsorption measurements, and UV-visible, IR, C-13 CP/MAS NMR, Si-29 MAS NMR, Sn-119 MAS NMR, and Mossbauer spectroscopic methods. The increase in the unit-cell parameter (XRD), the presence of an absorption band at similar to 208 nm (UV-vis), and Mossbauer spectroscopy suggest the incorporation of Sn into the MCM-41 structure. The Sn-MCM-41 samples catalyze the selective oxidation/epoxidation of organic compounds by aqueous H2O2/tertiary butyl hydroperoxide. (C) 1999 Academic Press.