The nickel phthalocyanine 4, which is soluble in common organic solvents, h
as been synthesized from the corresponding tetracyclone monoadduct 1 and ac
rolein (3). Reaction of 4 with p-toluenesulfonic acid leads to the modified
phthalocyanine monoaldehyde 5. The capability of 5 to undergo a Wittig rea
ction has been demonstrated with benzyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (6). Fu
rthermore, a dimer 9 has been synthesized by treating 5 with 0.5 equiv. of
xylylenebis(triphenylphosphonium bromide) (8). Dimer 9 constitutes a model
compound for corresponding PPV polymers containing phthalocyanine subunits.