Synthesis and nonlinear optical properties of fluorine-containing naphthalocyanines

The fluorine-containing metal naphthalocyanines [F16NcGaCl] (7) and [(F16NcGa)2O] (8), which represent the first examples of peripherally fluorine substituted naphthalocyanines, were synthesized, and the nonlinear optical transmission was studied. Peripheral substitution by fluorine atoms enhances the solubility and photostability of the naphthalocyanines. In particular, for the axially mu-oxo-bridged naphthalocyanine dimer 8, practically no aggregation was observed in organic solvents and it has proved to be an efficient optical limiter when irradiated with laser light pulses at the wavelength of 532 nm, with pulse duration of 5 ns and repetition rate of 20 Hz.