Silica nanoparticles doped by cobalt(II) sulfosubstituted phthalocyanines: Sol–gel synthesis and catalytic activity

•Hybrid materials containing Co(II) phthalocyanines were obtained using the sol–gel method.•Hybrids were examined as catalysts in thiol oxidation.•Structure–property patterns were obtained for the synthesized materials.

The new hybrid materials containing metal complexes of phthalocyanines with variations in substituent nature were synthesized using the sol–gel technology. Phthalocyanines were covalently immobilized in the silica matrix due to the interaction of the surface hydroxyl groups with sulfosubstituents in the phthalocyanine molecules. Morphological characteristics were determined for the synthesized hybrids. It was shown that the phthalocyanine structure influences the particle size of hybrid obtained. Hybrid materials were examined as catalysts in oxidation model reactions with thiols. The catalytic activity was studied in the temperature range of 298–313 K. The nature of the substituent in the peripheral of metal phthalocyanine has a significant impact on the catalytic activity of the resulting material.