Rectangular-shaped expanded phthalocyanines with two central metal atoms.

Expanded phthalocyanine (Pc) congeners with two Mo or W central metal ions and four isoindole ring moieties have been synthesized using normal Pc formation conditions in the presence of urea. The products have been characterized by electrochemistry; mass spectrometry (MS); IR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), NMR, electronic absorption, and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopies; and X-ray analysis. The X-ray structures have rectangular C(2v) symmetry and provide evidence that the central Mo atoms are linked by a single bond and coordinated by two isoindole nitrogen atoms and two nitrogen atoms from the amine moieties. The electronic absorption bands extend into the 1200-1500 nm region. This can be explained using Gouterman's four-orbital theory. The experimental NMR data and theoretical calculations provide evidence for a heteroaromatic 22-π-electron conjugation system for the ring-expanded Pc system, which satisfies Hückel's (4n + 2)π aromaticity.