The Advances of Metallophthalocyanines

Dear Colleagues,

Metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) have been the subject of intense research interest since their initial characterization in the 1930s after their accidental formation during the industrial production of phthalimide from phthalic anhydride. MPcs containing an extended 18π-electron-conjugated aromatic system exhibit unique electronic and optical properties. Due to their fascinating and various properties as well as their high thermal and chemical stability, they are a very important class of compounds that offer varied and diverse applications. The continuously increasing interest in metallophthalocyanines is also due to their exceptional photophysical, photochemical, and electrochemical properties, which provide opportunities for their application in dyes and pigments, gas sensors, solar cells, non-linear optics, optical data storage devices, near-IR imaging agents, active matrix displays, and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Many metallophthalocyanines and their derivatives with low toxicity have been confirmed to be quite promising as photosensitizers for PDT, in view of their strong intense absorption in the therapeutic window, in the red region of visible light. An influential photosensitizer for PDT application should be characterized by high singlet oxygen generation capacity, high triplet-state quantum yields, and long triplet life-time. The limited solubility of large planar metallophthalocyanines and the aggregation behavior in biological systems are very common phenomena in this family of compounds due to the π–π interactions between the molecules with extended π-electron-delocalized systems that decrease their fluorescence quantum yields, shorten their triplet lifetime, and reduce their photosensitizing efficiency. Therefore, many researchers are still searching for new ways to functionalize them, so as to obtain metallophthalocyanines with the desired properties determining their application. The main aim of this Special Issue "The Advance of Metallophthalocyanines" is to create an open forum where scientists can share their research and discoveries in this promising field and, owing to the open-access platform, increase their visibility and the chances of interaction with industries and production systems. The contributions to this Issue, in the form of original research or review articles, may cover all aspects of metallophthalocyanines; research with interdisciplinary input is especially welcome, giving new insights into metallophthalocyanines.

Prof. Dr. Jan Janczak
Guest Editor

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