Electrochemical, in situ spectroelectrochemical, in situ electrocolorimetric and electrocatalytic characterization of metallophthalocyanines bearing four dioctylaminocarbonyl biphenyloxy substituents

This study describes the electrochemical, in situ spectroelectrochemical, in situ electrocolorimetric and electrocatalytic characterization of metallophthalocyanines bearing four dioctylaminocarbonyl biphenyloxy groups (MPc's). While CoPc gives both metal-based and ring-based redox processes, ZnPc and CuPc show only ring-based reduction and oxidation processes. In-situ electrocolorimetric method was applied to investigate color of the electrogenerated anionic and cationic forms of the complexes. Perchloric acid titrations monitored by cyclic voltammetry and spectrophotometry represent possible electrocatalytic activities of the complexes for hydrogen evolution reaction. CuPc having inactive metal center incorporated into a Nafion film on GCE decreases overpotential of the electrode for H⁺ reduction in aqueous solution.