CONVENIENT SYNTHESIS OF WATER-SOLUBLE, ISOMERICALLY PURE RUTHENIUM PHTHALOCYANINE COMPLEXES

A simple high-yielding synthesis of water soluble ruthenium phthalocya nine complexes, (Pc)RuL(2), is reported. Use of an unsubstituted or sy mmetrically substituted phthalocyanine ring and solubilizing ligands a xially coordinated to the central ruthenium allowed pure compounds, wi thout positional isomers, to be made, Key to the success of the synthe sis is the use of a soluble (Pc)RuL(2) intermediate with labile nitril e axial ligands that could be easily and completely substituted. A ran ge of axial ligands was introduced into the (Pc)Ru moiety including py ridines, alkyl amines. amino acids, and phosphines.