2(3),9(10),16(17),23(24)-Tetrakis(dibutylamino)phthalocyanine compounds M{Pc[N(C4H9)2]4} (1-5; M = 2H, Mg, Ni, Cu, Zn) were prepared and characterized by a range of spectroscopic methods in addition to elemental analysis. Electrochemical and electronic absorption spectroscopic studies revealed the more effective conjugation of the nitrogen lone pair of electrons in the dibutylamino side chains with the central phthalocyanine π system in M{Pc[N(C4H9)2]4} than in M{Pc[N(C4H9)2]8}, which, in turn, results in superior third-order nonlinear-optical (NLO) properties of H2{Pc[N(C4H9)2]4} (1) over H2{Pc[N(C4H9)2]8}, as revealed by the obviously larger effective imaginary third-order molecular hyperpolarizability (Im{χ((3))}) of 6.5 × 10(-11) esu for the former species than for the latter one with a value of 3.4 × 10(-11) esu. This is well rationalized on the basis of both structural and theoretical calculation results. The present result seems to represent the first effort toward directly connecting the peripheral functional substituents, electronic structures, and NLO functionality together for phthalocyanine molecular materials, which will be helpful for the development of functional phthalocyanine materials via molecular design and synthesis even through only tuning of the peripheral functional groups.

Cyclic tetramerization of 3-(dibutylamino)phthalonitrile in refluxing n-pentanol in the presence of magnesium pentanoate afforded the four regioisomer-containing nonperipheral 1,8-/11,15-/18,22-/25-tetrakis(dibutylamino)phthalocyaninato magnesium complexes with the 1,8,15,22-tetrakis(dibutylamino)phthalocyanine isomer Mg{Pc[α-N(C4H9)2]4-C4} (2). This, in combination with its much superior crystallinity over the remaining three isomers, renders the easy isolation of 2 only through two simple recrystallizations from THF and methanol. Treatment of 2 with trifluoroacetic acid induced the isolation of metal-free 1,8,15,22-tetrakis(dibutylamino)phthalocyanine, H2{Pc[α-N(C4H9)2]4-C4} (1), which further reacted with M(OAc)2·nH2O (M = Ni, Zn) in refluxing n-pentanol, giving the 1,8,15,22-tetrakis(dibutylamino)phthalocyaninato metal complexes M{Pc[α-N(C4H9)2]4-C4} (M = Ni (3), Zn (4)). The full series of four 1,8,15,22-tetrakis(dibutylamino)phthalocyanine isomeric compounds have been characterized by a series of spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Obviously, the present result provides a simple and effective pathway for the synthesis and isolation of novel 1,8,15,22-tetrakis(dibutylamino)phthalocyanine isomeric derivatives, providing one step forward toward completing bis(alkyl)amino-incorporated phthalocyanine species.

Unprecedented 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(di-butylamino)phthalocyanine compounds M{Pc[N(C4H9)2]8} (M = 2H, Mg, Cu, Zn) (1-4) were prepared and structurally characterized on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, representing the first structurally characterized alkylamino-substituted phthalocyanine examples. These novel phthalocyanine derivatives have also been characterized by a wide range of spectroscopic methods including MALDI-TOF mass spectra, NMR, electronic absorption, and IR spectroscopy in addition to elemental analysis. Their electrochemistry was also studied by cyclic voltammetry.

The non-peripherally substituted 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octa(butoxy)-phthalocyanine-involved unsymmetrical heteroleptic bis(phthalocyaninato) terbium double-decker, Tb(Pc){H[Pc(α-OC H ) ]} (Pc=unsubstituted phthalocyanine) (1), was revealed to exhibit typical single ion magnet (SIM) behavior with effective energy barrier, 180 K (125 cm ), and blocking temperature, 2 K, due to the severe deviation of the terbium coordination polyhedron from square-antiprismatic geometry. Fabrication of this double-decker compound into the novel tetrakis(phthalocyaninato) terbium pseudo-quadruple-decker Na {Tb(Pc)[Pc(α-OC H ) ]} (2) single molecule magnet (SMM) not only optimizes the coordination polyhedron of terbium ion towards the square-antiprismatic geometry and intensifies the coordination field strength, but more importantly significantly enhances the molecular magnetic anisotropy in the unsymmetrical bis(phthalocyaninato) double-decker unit, along with the change of the counter cation from H of 1 to Na of 2, leading to an significantly enhanced magnetic behavior with spin-reversal energy barrier, 528 K (367 cm ), and blocking temperature, 25 K. The present result is surely helpful towards developing novel tetrapyrrole lanthanide SMMs through rational design and self-assembly from bis(tetrapyrrole) lanthanide single ion magnet (SIM) building block.

Chiral binaphthyl and dibutylamino were incorporated onto the periphery of the bis(phthalocyaninato) terbium SIM, confirming the effectiveness of tuning the double-decker SIM peroperties thorugh tuning the molecular magnetic anisotropy.