Metal-free 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octahexylphthalocyanine was prepared directly by the cyclotetramerization of 3,6-dihexylphthalonitrile using lithium butoxide in butanol. Thin films of the material were deposited on glass substrates by the thermal evaporation technique. The structure of the films was found to be in the alpha form, and showed a strong peak indicating preferential orientation. The surface morphology of the thin films was investigated by atomic force microscopy and showed that the molecules of 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octahexylphthalocyanine grow in stacks of parallel rows. The spectrophotometric measurements of transmittance and reflectance were carried out in the wavelength range 190-3000 nm. The refractive index, n, and absorption index, k, were found to be independent of annealing at 373 K. The B band absorption occurred at 356 nm, and the Q band showed a doublet at 667 and 739 nm. Other optical parameters, such as absorption coefficient alpha and optical dielectric constant epsilon, were determined. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.