A simple CVD process was developed to synthesize Mg2Zn11-MgO core-shell nanocables. Typically, the nanocables had square-like cross-sections and were 30-150 nm wide, while the Mg2Zn11 cores were only several nanometers in widths. The MgO sheath had single-crystalline cubic structure and stretched along the [100] direction. The longitudinal directions of single-crystalline cores were in the [3 (1) over bar2] direction of cubic Mg2Zn11. The formation of nanocables is discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.