Synthesis and properties of some novel soluble metallophthalocyanines containing the 3-trifluromethylphenyoxy moiety

Some new tetrakis(3-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phthalocyanine complexes with cobalt, nickel or zinc were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by IR, UV-vis, H-1 NMR and elemental analysis. These compounds are soluble in weakly and medium polar solvents, but their solubility in strong polar solvents such as DMF and DMSO is fairly low. It was found that the introduction of trifluoromethylphenoxy subtituents greatly affected their spectroscopic properties. The redox peaks of cyclic voltammograms possess good symmetric characteristics, indicating that they are good electron donors, and their electrochemical process is quasi reversible with the introduced fluorine group. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.