We report differential scanning calorimetric analyses of several reactions leading to the formation of the mixed perovskite La2CuTiO6. The synthesis of this oxide was carried out following three different strategies : i) classical ceramic methods, ii) use of a layered oxide precursor (La2CuO4), and iii) sol-gel method. Electron diffraction and neutron diffraction data on the sol-gel product complete the structural characterization of this oxide, which presents an orthorhombically distorted perovskite structure of the GdFeO3 type, with a distortion proportional to the temperature of synthesis. Neutron diffraction shows no long-range order of Cu(II) and Ti(IV) in the structure. Finally, the reduction of this perovskite to yield La2CuTiO5 is reported.