With 3-nitrobenzene-1,2-dicarbonitrile and 4-nitrobenzene-1,2-dicarbonitrile as raw materials, α- and β-tetrakismethoxyphenoxy phthalocyaninatozinc were synthesized via two-step reaction. The structure of two compounds were characterized by IR, UV-Vis, MS, ¹H NMR spectra and elemental analysis, and the results are consistent with the structures of title compounds. Two phthalocyanine compounds have good solubility in organic solvents. The energy band structures and electrochemical processes were studied by cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated the phthalocyanine monomer has higher HOMO energy levels, lower LUMO energy levels and more narrow band gap when the methoxyphenoxy lies on α-site than on β-site, which are favorable for the electron transfer of phthalocyanine molecules. The results showed that the electrochemical processes of two compounds were all quasi-reversible single-electron processes in dichloromethane, and the oxidation-reduction reactions occurred in phthalocyanine ring. Finally, the electrochemical reaction mechanism of two phthalocyanine compounds were put forward.

Key words: methoxyphenoxy, cyclic voltammetry, energy band structure, electrochemical processes, reaction mechanism