Synthesis and electrochemical characterisation of a near infrared absorbing oxo vanadium (IV) octapentylthio-phthalocyanine

The synthesis of an α-substituted phthalocyanine oxo vanadium(IV) 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octapentathiophthalocyanine (4) which absorbs at 850 nm in dichloromethane is reported. The complex is purple in colour and becomes green on reduction. The cyclic and square wave voltammetries of the complex show five redox couples. The spectroelectrochemical data showed only ring based processes. The ring reduced species is observed at wavelengths greater than 680 nm rather than the usual 500–600 nm range typical of ring reduced phthalocyanine complexes