Metaloxyphthalocyanine compounds

1. A phthalocyanine compound of Formula I

wherein at least the eight groups represented by R 1 , R 4 , R 5 , R 8 , R 9 , R 12 , R 13 & R 16 which groups are identical are —X-J wherein

J is selected from the group consisting of C 1-6 -alkyl; C 2-6 -alkenyl; C 4-8 -cycloalkyl each being optionally substituted by a group selected from the group consisting of C 1-4 -alkoxy, C 1-4 -alkylthio, C 6-12 -aryl, C 6-12 -arylthio, C 1-4 -alkylsulphonyl, C 1-4 -alkylsulphonylamino, C 1-4 -alkylsulphoxide, amino, mono- and di-C 1-4 -alkylamino, halogen, nitro, cyano and hydroxycarbonyl (—COOH), hydroxysulphonyl (—SO 3 H) or dihydroxyphosphonyl (—PO 3 H 2 ) or C 1-4 -alkyl esters thereof and from C 6-12 -aryl optionally substituted by a group selected from the group consisting of C 1-3 -alkyl, C 1-3 -alkoxy, C 1-3 -alkylthio, C 1-3 -alkylsulphonyl, C 1-3 -alkylsulphonylamino, C 1-4 -alkylsulphoxide, amino, mono- and di-C 1-3 -alkylamino, halogen, nitro, cyano and hydroxycarbonyl, hydroxysulphonyl or dihydroxyphosphonyl, hydroxycarbonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl, hydroxysulphonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl, dihydroxyphosphonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl or C 1-3 -alkyl esters thereof;

M is an oxymetal group selected from the group consisting of VO, TiO and MoO;

X is S, Se, Te or NT;

T is H, alkyl or phenyl, or T & J, together with the N atom to which they are attached, form an aliphatic or aromatic ring provided this N atom is not positively charged; provided where J is aryl, T is not aryl; and

wherein each of R 2 , R 3 , R 6 , R 7 , R 10 , R 11 , R 14 and R 15 is H with the proviso that the compound is not octa-3,6-(phenylthio)VOPc, octa-3,6-(methylthio)TiOPc or octa-3,6-(ethylthio)VOPc.

2. A phthalocyanine compound according claim 1 wherein the compound has an electronic absorption peak from 750 to 1100 nm.

3. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 2 wherein the compound has an absorption strength in the region above 400 nm and at least 90% of said absorption strength is at or above 750 nm.

4. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 2 wherein the electronic absorption peak has a band width at half peak height in solution of less than 60 nm.

5. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 1 wherein J is selected from the group consisting of C 3-6 -alkyl, which may be straight or branched chain; C 2-4 -alkenyl; cyclohexyl; phenyl; naphtha-1-yl or naphtha-2-yl, each of which is optionally substituted.

6. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 5 wherein J is an optionally substituted phenyl.

7. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 5 wherein the substituent(s) for the phenyl; naphtha-1-yl or naphtha-2-yl groups represented by J is(are) independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-2 -alkyl; C 1-2 -alkoxy; C 1-2 -alkylthio; C 1-2 -alkylsulphonyl; C 1-2 -alkylsulphoxide; amino; mono- and di-C 1-2 -alkylamino; halogen; nitro; cyano; hydroxycarbonyl, hydroxysulphonyl, dihydroxy-phosphonyl, hydroxycarbonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl, hydroxysulphonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl and dihydroxy-phosphonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl and C 1-2 -alkyl esters thereof.

8. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 5 wherein the optionally substituted phenyl; naphtha-1-yl or naphtha-2-yl groups represented by J are selected from the group consisting of phenyl, 4-methylphenyl, 2-methylphenyl, 4-i-propylphenyl, 2 4-dimethyl-phenyl, 2,5-dimethylphenyl, 3,5-dimethylphenyl, 4-methoxyphenyl, 4-methylthiophenol, 3-(2-[methoxycarbonyl]ethyl)phenyl, 3-(hydroxycarbonyl)phenyl, 4-(hydroxysulphonyl)-phenyl, 2-chlorophenyl, 4-bromophenyl, 3,5-dichlorophenyl, naphtha-1-yl and naphtha-2-yl.

9. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 1 wherein the compound has a formula:

octa-3,6-(RX)-Pc-M  Formula III

wherein

M is an oxymetal group selected from the group consisting of VO, TiO and MoO;

Pc is the phthalocyanine nucleus;

X is S, Se, Te or NT wherein T is H, C 1-4 -alkyl or phenyl; and

R is phenyl or naphthyl each of which is optionally substituted by up to 5 groups selected from the group consisting of C 1-3 -alkyl, C 1-3 -alkoxy, C 1-3 -alkylthio, C 1-3 -alkylsulphonyl, C 1-3 -alkylsulphonyl-amino, C 1-3 -alkylsulphoxide, amino, mono- and di-C 1-3 -alkylamino, halogen, nitro, cyano and hydroxycarbonyl, hydroxy-sulphonyl, dihydroxyphosphonyl, hydroxycarbonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl, hydroxysulphonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl or hydroxyphosphonyl-C 1-3 -alkyl or C 1-3 -alkyl esters thereof; or

R & T together form a piperidinyl, piperazinyl, morpholinyl or pyrrolinyl ring.

10. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 1 wherein X is sulphur.

11. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 1 wherein each of R 1 , R 4 , R 5 , R 8 , R 9 , R 12 , R 13 & R 16 is 4-methylphenylthio.

12. A phthalocyanine compound according to claim 1 wherein M is VO.

13. A method for detecting an article carrying a superficial image by scanning with an infra-red detector wherein the image comprises a compound of formula I in claim 1 without the proviso that the compound is not octa-3,6-(phenylthio)VOPc, octa-3,6-(methylthio)TiOPc or octa-3,6-(ethylthio)VOPc.

14. An ink comprising a compound of formula I in claim 1 without the proviso that the compound is not octa-3,6-(phenylthio)VOPc, octa-3,6-(methylthio)TiOPc or octa-3,6(ethylthio) VOPc.

15. An ink according to claim 14 also comprising a colorant.

16. An ink according to claim 14 also comprising an alkoxylated or polyalkoxylated acrylate monomer and a photoinitiator.

17. A method of establishing the authenticity of an article or substrate comprising marking the article or substrate with a mark including a compound according to formula I in claim 1 without the proviso that the compound is not octa-3,6-(phenylthio)VOPc, octa-3,6-(methylthio)TiOPc or octa-3,6-(ethylthio)VOPc and detecting and/or measuring a characteristic absorption of infrared radiation by the mark.

18. The phthalocyanine compound according claim 2 wherein the compound has an electronic absorption peak from 800 to 1000 nm.

19. The phthalocyanine compound according to claim 3 wherein the compound has an absorption strength in the region above 400 nm and at least 95% of said absorption strength is at or above 750 nm.