Phthalocyanine compounds containing either a polymerizable vinyl group, a nitro group, or an amino group

A method for preparing a phthalocyanine compound of the following formula:

• ##STR58## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are independently selected from the group consisting of an alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, and arylthio group;
• s is equal to 0 or an integer of 1 to 3, and the R.sup.1 groups may be identical or different when s is at least 2;
• t, u and v each are equal to 0 or an integer of 1 to 4, and the R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 groups may be identical or different when t, u and v are at least 2, respectively;
• with the proviso that all of s, t, u, and v are not equal to 0 at the same time, the sum of s+t+u+v being an integer of at least 1;
• and R.sup.5 is a hydrogen atom or alkyl group, said method comprising the steps of:
• forming a nitro-substituted phthalocyanine compound of the following formula (3) by reacting phthalonitriles including an alkyl-, alkoxy-, alkylthio- or arylthio-substituted phthalonitrile and a nitrophthalonitrile or by effecting substitution reaction of a halogenated nitro-substituted phthalocyanine compound,
• reducing the nitro group of said nitro-substituted phthalocyanine compound to form an amino-substituted phthalocyanine compound of the following formula (4), and
• introducing an acryloyl group into the amino group of said amino-substituted phthalocyanine compound of formula (4) to form the phthalocyanine compound of formula (1), ##STR59## wherein R.sup.1 to R.sup.5, s, t, u, and v are as defined above.