The electronic nature of the –Pn=Pn– derivatives (Pn=P/As). New insight, in the light of UV photoelectron spectroscopy

Metal-free and magnesium phthalocyanines substituted with long (CH2CH2N+(CH3)3CH3SO4-) chains and amino/nitro groups have been investigated as photoconverters in a sandwich-like photoelectrochemical cell. Photoelectric (photovoltaic spectrum, photocurrent kinetics), electric (current–voltage characteristics) and spectroscopic studies (absorption, fluorescence, photoacoustics) have been presented. Magnesium phthalocyanine with amino group has been found as the best photosensitizer whereas metal-free phthalocyanine substituted with nitro group shows weak effectiveness in photocurrent generation. The correlation between spectroscopic/photoelectric properties and molecular structure of dyes is discussed.