Synthesis and Properties of Phthalocyanines Substituted with Four Crown Ethers

Abstract
New phthalocyanines substituted with four benzo-15-crown-5 units through flexible -CH2-O- chains have been synthesized from 1- {[(benzo-15-crown-5)-4′-yl]oxymethyl}-3,4-dibromo (3) or -dicyano- -benzene (4) and hydroquinone or metal salts. The crown ether group in these phthalocyanines is shown to form intermolecular sandwich type complexes with alkali metal ions leading to the aggregation of molecules.