The characterization and pyrolysis behavior of a set of pitches prepared from anthracene oil have been described. The pitches were obtained from four successive cycles of a sequential process that begins with blowing air through the heated anthracene oil, to bring about recombination reactions. Reaction products are distilled to give a pitch residue and a lighter fraction. Thermal treatment/distillation cycles of this reaction product yield a pitch and a distillate fraction (unreacted anthracene oil) during each subsequent stage. Products obtained during the process have been characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet (UV)-fluorescence spectroscopy, and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). The pyrolytic behavior of the anthracene oil derivatives was examined using a thermogravimetric balance. Thermal treatment of the anthracene oil and its (distilled) reaction products at 440-460 degrees C under 5 bar pressure leads to a partially anisotropic pitch with the formation of a liquid crystal phase (mesophase). The formation and evolution of these mesophases were analyzed by optical microscopy.