Method for producing copper phthalocyanine using thiols

A method for producing copper phthalocyanine, which comprises heating and reacting phthalic acid or a phthalic acid derivative, urea or a urea derivative, and a copper compound, using molybdenum or a molybdenum compound as a catalyst, in the presence or absence of an inert organic solvent, wherein at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an aromatic dithiol compound of the following formula (I), a saturated aliphatic dithiol compound of the following formula (II), and their precursors, or at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a ruthenium compound and an osmium compound, is added to the reaction system:

• ##STR5## chloride-trihydrate, 0.15 g (390 ppm as a ruthenium wherein ring A in the formula (I) is a 6-membered single carbon ring or polycyclic condensed carbon ring aromatic compound, R for R.sub.n in the formula (I) or for R.sub.x in the formula (II) is a mercapto group (--SH), a substituted mercapto group (--SR' wherein R' is a substituent inert in the reaction system), or a substituent substantially inert in the reaction system, m is an integer of from 2 to 4, and n and x are optional integers of from 0 to the maximum number of substitutable positions of the respective compounds other than the positions for the mercapto groups (--SH) (when n and x are 0, the respective formulas represent unsubstituted dithiol compounds).