Key words thermal analysis, spinel phases Li x Mn 1+x Fe 2-2x O 4 , freeze drying, XRD. PACS 61.10.Nz, 61.66.Fn, 75.50.Gg The thermal decomposition of freeze-dried Li-Mn(II)-Fe(III)-formate precursors was investigated by means of DTA, TG and mass spectroscopy. By the thermal treatment of the prefired precursors between 400 and 1000°C, single phase solid solutions Li x Mn 1+x Fe 2-2x O 4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) with cubic spinel structure were obtained. To get single phase spinels, special conditions concerning the temperature T and the oxygen partial pressure p(O 2 ) during the synthesis are required. Because of the high reactivity of the freeze-dried precursors, in comparison with the conventional solid state reaction, the reaction temperature can be lowered by 200°C. The cation distribution and the properties of the Li-Mn-ferrites were studied by chemical analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and magnetization measurements. It was found that for high substitution rates, almost all lithium occupies the tetrahedral coordinated A-sites of the spinel lattice AB 2 O 4 , while at small x-values, lithium ions are distributed over the tetrahedral and octahedral sites.