Ultrasonically induced phthalocyanine degradation: decolouration vs. metal release

The ultrasonically induced degradations of nickel(II) 2,9,16,23-tetraphenoxy-29H, 31H-phthalocyanine and vanadyl 2,9,16,23-tetraphenoxy-29H, 31H-phthalocyanine in a biphasic system consisting of chloroform and water are investigated. Decolourisation of the organic phase containing the metallo-phthalocyanines is found to occur rapidly (∼ minutes for 8 ml of ca. 5 μM solution). Analysis of the aqueous solute via ICP-OES, reveals significant amounts of the released nickel ultimately transfers into the aqueous phase but at a rate much slower than that of decolourisation, whereas the vanadium remains within the organic phase suggesting only partial degradation despite efficient decolourisation.