This paper describes a simple, vapor-phase route for the synthesis of metastable alpha-phase copper (sic)thalocyanine (CuPc) single-crystal nanowires through control of the growth temperature. The influence of the growth temperature on the crystal structures, morphology, and size of the CuPc nanostructures is explored using X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical absorption, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). alpha-CuPc nanowires are successfully incorporated as active semiconductors in field-effect transistors (FETs). Single nanowire devices exhibit carrier mobilities and current on/off ratios as high as 0.4 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) and >10(4), respectively.