Silicon octaphenoxyphthalocyanines: photostability and singlet oxygen quantum yields

Photochemical properties of series of axially substituted silicon octaphenoxyphthalocyanines with aryloxy, siloxy, aminoalkoxy, esters of carboxylic acids and sulphonic acid esters residues as axial ligands were studied in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution. It was found, that under Q-band excitation axial ligands in compounds studied have the propensity to be changed by hydroxyl groups with quantum yields in the range 10(-5) to 10(-2) depending on the nature of the axial ligand. Axial substituent phototransformation was followed by slow photobleaching of dihydroxysilicon octaphenoxyphthalocyanine (photoproduct) in self-sensitized singlet oxygen mediated oxidation of the macrocycle. Singlet oxygen quantum yields were found to be in the range 0.15-0.20 for majority of the phthalocyanines (Pc) studied. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.