Synthesis and solution properties of new metal-free and metallo-phthalocyanines containing four bis(indol-3-yl)methane groups

Metallo-phthalocyanines bearing four bis(indol-3-yl)methane groups were successfully prepared by reaction of the corresponding phthalonitriles with anhydrous metal salts [Zn(CH3COO)2, NiCl2 and CoCl2] in the presence of a catalytic amount of DBU in 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol. The metal-free phthalocyanine was obtained by treating a mixture of the phthalonitrile derivative in similar conditions but in the absence of a metal salt. All of these phthalocyanines are soluble in DMSO, DMF, and pyridine. The products were characterized by IR, NMR, and UV–vis spectroscopy, MALDI–TOF–MS, and thermogravimetric analysis. The aggregation properties of the phthalocyanines were investigated at different concentrations in DMSO. All the phthalocyanines showed monomeric behavior in solution.