Aggregation of slipped-cofacial phthalocyanine J-type dimers: Spectroscopic and AFM study.

Direct metallation of 2-hydroxyphthalocyanine J-type slipped-cofacial dimeric ligand by Mg, Zn, Cu, Ni and Co salts has been carried out to obtain corresponding metal complexes selectively without any noticeable dissociation or polymerization of the starting ligand. Integrated analysis of aggregation properties in the synthesized series has been conducted with the involvement of AFM microscopy, UV/Vis spectroscopy and theoretical assessment. As a result, a nonlinear relationship between absorption and concentration was found, with aggregation beginning to appear at concentrations above 3.3 × 10-5 mol L-1 with predominant formation of trimers from the dimeric molecules in THF solutions.