A series of titania modified mesoporous silicate MCM-41 (MCM-TiO₂) samples with variable Ti/Si ratios have been synthesized from tetrabutyltitanate and calcined MCM-41. The samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR spectroscopy, thermal analysis (DTA–TG), nitrogen adsorption–desorption at 77 K, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and solid state diffuse reflectance UV–VIS spectroscopy. It was found that tetrabutyltitanate cocondensation occurred with pendant OH groups of MCM-41 leading to Si–O–Ti bonds so modifying the inner pore surface of MCM-41 after hydrolysis and calcination. In the titania modified MCM-41 samples, although titania species were in tetrahedral rather than octahedral coordination which is predominant in crystalline titania, it still exhibited good photocatalytic activity for oxidizing phenol to carbon dioxide and water.