Developing　of　novel　carbon-based　materials　for　electrocatalytic　oxygen　reduction　reaction　is　highly　important　for　sustainable　energy　conversion.　In　this　work,　iron-containing　ionogels　were　prepared　from　functional　ionic　liquid　1-propionic　acid-2-methyl　imidazole　bromide　as　the　linker　and　an　organically-modified　silica　framework　as　the　host,　which　were　polymerized　in　the　presence　of　iron(III)　nitrate　nonahydrate.　The　ionogels　are　mechanically　stable,　yellowish　and　transparent.　After　pyrolysis　and　washing　by　acid,　unique　mesoporous　carbon　materials　were　innovatively　synthesized.　Moreover,　the　as-obtained　carbon　materials　possess　very　high　surface　areas　(1127　m2　g−1),　significant　mesoporosity　and　abundant　catalytic　sites　(e.　g.,　effective　N　configurations).　The　optimal　catalyst　exhibits　remarkable　ORR　activity　with　an　onset　potential　(Eonset)　of　0.98　V　vs.　RHE,　a　half-wave　potential　(E1/2)　of　0.823　V　vs.　RHE　and　a　diffusion-limited　current　density　(jL)　of　5.75　mA　cm−2　in　0.1　M　KOH,　comparable　to　the　commercial　Pt/C　catalyst　in　the　same　condition.　This　work　provided　a　new　strategy　to　fabricate　promising　electrocatalyts　for　application　in　fuel　cells.　©　2019　Wiley-VCH　Verlag　GmbH　&　Co.　KGaA,　Weinheim