Phthalocyaninato complexes with peripheral alkylthio chains: Disk-like adsorbate species for the vertical anchoring of ligands onto gold surfaces

► MnIII phthalocyaninato complexes with an axial chlorido ligand and eight peripheral long-chain alkylthio substituents form high-quality SAMs on gold. ► The thioether units chemisorb intact on the substrate. ► The disk-like macrocycles are in a parallel orientation with respect to the substrate surface. ► The chemisorption causes loss of the axial chlorido ligand and reduction to MnII. ► Analogous ZnII phthalocyaninato complexes containing an axial pyridine ligand were structurally characterised.