Synthesis, photophysical and photochemical studies of novel liquid crystalline phthalocyanines

Ni(II) and Zn(II) phthalocyanines carrying four or eight branched oligo(ethyleneoxy)thia groups on peripheral positions have been synthesized from new phthalonitrile derivatives. The new compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, NMR, mass spectra and electronic spectroscopy. The aggregation behaviors of the phthalocyanine complexes were studied in different solvents and concentrations. General trends are described for photodegradation, singlet oxygen and fluorescence quantum yields, and fluorescence lifetimes of these compounds in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The effects of the substitution on the photophysical and photochemical parameters of the nickel(II) (3a and 4a) and zinc(II) phthalocyanines (4b) are also reported. The octasubstituted zinc(II) complex (3b) is not stable for these measurements. Preliminary investigation of the photophysical and photochemical properties of phthalocyanine complexes are very useful for further PDT applications. The mesogenic properties of these new materials were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical polarized microscopy and X-ray investigations.