Shape-anisotropic　nanomaterials　with　uniform　lengths　and　widths　have　attracted　much　interest　but　few　of　them　are　involved　in　self-assembled　manganese　complexes.　The　combination　of　two　redox-active　acylthiosemicarbazide　ligands　with　Mn3+cations　leads　to　two　discrete　polynuclear　Mn　nanorods,　pentanuclear　[Mn5(L3)6][Mn0.7(DMF)1.4(H2O)2.8]　(1a)　and　trinuclear　Mn3(L4)3·2DMF　(2),　whose　L3　and　L4　represent　N-(5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)benzamide　and　N-(5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-propionamide,　respectively,　which　are　in　situ　synthesized　from　their　acylthiosemicarbazide　derivatives　in　the　presence　of　Mn3+cations,　while　the　latter　are　reduced　into　divalent　ones　in　rod-like　moieties.　For　each　pentanuclear　anion　in　1a,　the　charge　is　balanced　by　a　solvated　trivalent　manganese　cation,　which　can　be　replaced　by　two　tetramethylammonium　cations　to　yield　pure　valence　compound　1b.　Moreover,　the　magnetic　studies　reveal　all　of　them　possess　antiferromagnetic　properties.　This　journal　is　©　the　Partner　Organisations　2014.