Physico-chemical properties of lutetium phthalocyanine complexes in solution and in solid polystyrene polymer fibers and their application in photo conversion of 4-nitrophenol

Abstract

The photo physical and photochemical behavior of two phthalocyanine complexes of lutetium peripherally substituted with tetraphenoxy and tetra-2-pyridiloxy groups were studied in solution and when dispersed in polystyrene polymer fiber. The phthalocyanines were found not to fluoresce significantly in solution and not at all within the fiber matrix as compared with standard unsubstituted zinc phthalocyanine. They showed very promising photo activity in solution with high singlet oxygen quantum yields. Their photo activity within the polymer fiber matrix was also demonstrated with the photo conversion of 4-nitrophenol,a water pollutant. The photo degradation process with both phthalocyanines follows first order kinetics similar to that observed for the zinc phthalocyanine and the photo-products were found to be hydroquinone,benzoquinone and 4-nitrocatechol