Chromic materials. Part 1.—Liquid-crystalline behaviour and electrochromism in bis(octakis-n-alkylphthalocyaninato)lutetium( III ) complexes

Novel bis(phthalocyaninato)lutetium(III) complexes substituted with long n-alkyl chains have been synthesized. These complexes, 1a–c, show three kinds of discotic mesophase (Dhd, Dob.d, and DL). Also 1a–c display the three primary colours (red, green, blue) of electrochromism in their solutions. The solutions of oxidized species of 1a–c are nearly red, although those of conventional bis(phthalocyaninato)lutetium(III) complexes are orange.