Novel `synthetic metals' based on symmetrically tetrasubstituted nickel phthalocyanines

Nickel(II) 2,9,16,23-tetrasubstituted phthalocyanines, NiPTX (where X = -OH, -NO2, -NH2 and -SO3H) were synthesized in pure state and doped with iodine. Elemental analysis, UV-Vis, infrared, X-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility and TGA studies were used to investigate the effects of iodine doping as well as substituents on the properties of the complexes. The electrical conductivity of nickel phthalocyanine derivatives found to depend on the nature of the substituents and showed similar to 10(3)-10(5) times increased electrical conductivity in comparison to parent nickel phthalocyanine. Further, the substitution and iodine doping show remarkably very high improved electrical conductivity nearly 10(11) times the electrical conductivity of nickel phthalocyanine. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved