Nanocrystalline alpha-LiFe5O8 powders were directly synthesized by a reaction of FeCl2 . 4H(2)O and Lithium in ethylenediamine (en) at 120 degrees C for 5 h. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) pattern, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and electronic diffraction (ED) pattern show that the products are single cubic alpha-LiFe5O8 phase and well crystallized with an average size of about 17 nm.