A new vanadium phthalocyanine complex with the formula [VI(C32H16N8)], or PcVI (Pc = C32H16N8), has been obtained by the reaction of pure V powder with 1,2-dicyanobenzene under iodine vapour. The V atom is bonded to one apical iodide ligand and four N-isoindole atoms, and has square-pyramidal coordination geometry. The mean V-N-isoindole distance is 1.952 (3) Angstrom. The VI bond has a length of 2.6279 (8) Angstrom and is tilted 1.7 (1)degrees to the normal of the plane formed by the four N-isoindole atoms. The phthalocyaninato ligand is saucer-shaped.