TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The metal compound is a phosphate, a borate or a silicate and an additional phosphate, borate or silicate reagent is added to the reaction mixture at step (i). The lithium salt and one or more transition metal salts form a polymeric metal phosphorus oxygen network at step (ii), thus forming a mesoporous lithium transition metal phosphate product. The lithium salt is reacted with an iron salt and a phosphate under acidic conditions so as to produce mesoporous lithium-iron-phosphate. The lithium dihydrogen phosphate is reacted with an iron salt to produce mesoporous lithium-iron-phosphate.The lithium salt and one or more transition metal salts form a polymeric metal oxide network at step (ii), thus forming a mesoporous lithium transition metal oxide product.The lithium salt is reacted with a cobalt salt and one or more further transition metal salts at step (i) so as to form a compound lithium cobalt oxide. The lithium salt is reacted with a cobalt salt at step (i) so as to form mesoporous lithium cobalt dioxide.The surfactant is removed by calcining at 400-700 degrees C, preferably 400-600 degrees C.The lithium salt is reacted with a cobalt salt to produce a mesoporous lithium cobalt dioxide product and where the reactants are heated at 50-60 degrees C, preferably 55-60 degrees C, in the step (ii).In the method, the reaction takes place in an aqueous solvent.The reaction conditions at steps (i) and (ii) are controlled so as to prevent destabilization of the liquid crystal phase. In the method, water loss is controlled at steps (i) and (ii) so as to prevent destabilization of the liquid crystal phase. The water loss is substantially prevented.Preferred Components: The metal compound is an oxide, a phosphate, a borate or a silicate.The further salts comprise a transition metal comprising nickel, manganese and aluminum. The mesoporous oxide product is a compound lithium cobalt oxide comprising lithium-cobalt-manganese oxide, lithium-cobalt-nickel oxide, lithium-cobalt-aluminum oxide and lithium-nickel(0.33)-cobalt(0.33)-manganese(0.33)oxide.The lithium salt is lithium nitrate and the cobalt salt is cobalt nitrate.The liquid crystal phase is a hexagonal phase.The surfactant concentration is 40-60 wt.%, preferably 50 wt.%.The surfactant is polyoxyethylene cetyl ether, octaethylene ether and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB).The reaction mixture additionally comprises a chelating agent.The chelating agent is citric acid and propionic acid.The lithium salt is lithium nitrate.The transition metal salts are nitrate salts.The mesoporous lithium cobalt oxide comprises uranium cobalt dioxide, uranium cobalt magnesium dioxide, uranium cobalt nickel oxide, lithium cobalt aluminum oxide or lithium-nickel(0.33)-cobalt(0.33)-manganese(0.33) oxide. EXAMPLE - An aqueous solution of lithium nitrate, cobalt nitrate, nickel nitrate, manganese nitrate (in a molar ratio of 1:0.33:0.33:0.33) and citric acid was heated to 55-60 degrees C in an open container with continuous stirring. The solution was stirred for a further 10 hours to obtain a homogeneous mixture, after which the precursor solution (40 wt.%) was mixed with cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (60 wt.%). The mixture was stirred and a stable hexagonal mesophase was formed. The liquid crystal phase mixture was then transferred to a sealed sample bottle and heated to 60 degrees C. The mixture was stirred for a further 24-36 hours at 60 degrees C as viscous liquid until to changed color from light to deep purple. Heating was then continued for a few hours and the solution transferred to an alumina crucible where it was allowed to cool. The cooled solid/gel was then transferred to a furnace with constant heating for 10 hours at 900-950 degrees C and worked up to afford lithium-nickel(0.33)-cobalt(0.33)-magnesium(0.33)oxide.