Synthesis, spectroscopy and electrochemistry of octaphenoxyphthalocyaninato silicon complexes

A number of octaphenoxyphthalocyaninato silicon complexes containing a variety of axial ligands, represented by (OPh)(8)PcSi(X)(2) (where X = chloro 3, hydroxy 4, (4-carboxybenzene) acetato 5, isonicatinato 6, propionato 7, nitrophenoxy 8 and dimethylaminoxy 9) have been synthesized using a convenient route starting with the 4,5-diphenoxy-1,2-dicyanobenzene. H-1 NMR and UV/vis spectra, and the cyclic voltammetry of the complexes are reported. The complexes are obtained in high yield and are soluble in many organic solvents. Cyclic voltammetry revealed two reduction couples and one oxidation couple for these complexes. Analysis of the cyclic voltammograms showed that compounds 6 and 8 were easier to oxidize and more difficult to reduce than the rest. Also cyclic voltammetry data suggested that electron transfer was not governed only by diffusion. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.