The synthesis and photophysical properties of water soluble tetrasulfonated, octacarboxylated and quaternised 2,(3)-tetra-(2 pyridiloxy) Ga phthalocyanines

The photophysical behaviour of chlorogallium 2,(3)-tetra-(2 pyridiloxy) phthalocyanine (ClGaT-2-PyPc) and its quaternised derivative were compared with that of the water soluble anionic tetrasulfonated gallium phthalocyanine ((OH)GaTSPc) and hydoxy gallium octacarboxy phthalocyanine ((OH)GaOCPc). Although both the quaternised compound and the tetrasulfonated gallium phthalocyanine aggregated in aq. solution at pH 11, resulting in low fluorescence and triplet yields, the presence of the surfactant Cremophore EL improved yields. Triplet quantum yields ranged from 0.52 to 0.70 and fluorescence quantum yields ranged from <0.01 to 0.21. The nature of substituent (sulfonate, carboxy and pyridiloxy) did not influence photophysical properties. Chlorogallium 2,(3)-tetra-(2 pyridiloxy) phthalocyanine and its quaternised derivative displayed longer triplet lifetime than both the tetrasulfonated gallium phthalocyanine ((OH)GaTSPc) and hydroxy gallium octacarboxy phthalocyanine in DMSO and in aq. media in both the presence and absence of surfactant.