A common derivative is the tetrahydrate, Mn(NO3)2·4H2O, but mono- and hexahydrates are also known as well as the anhydrous compound.

[1] Typical of a manganese(II) compound, it is a paramagnetic pale pink solid.

Manganese(II) compounds, especially with oxygenated ligands, are typically octahedral.

[3] Manganese(II) nitrate is prepared from manganese dioxide and nitrogen dioxide:[1] In this redox reaction, two moles of the reductant NO2 (gas) donate each one electron to MnO2 (black solid), the oxidant, which is reduced from its oxidation state (IV) to its lower state (II).

The advantage of this method, based on the use of ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) as reaction intermediates, being that the side product ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is also useful as a fertilizer.