Patent ID: 8206496

Claim:
Mixed phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine water-soluble dyes with near-infrared absorption comprising four pyrrole units linked together in a large ring to form a phthalocyanine macrocycle, with at least one benzene ring linked to a pyrrole unit and with at least one naphthalene ring linked to another pyrrole unit, and further with the remaining two pyrrole units each having a benzene ring or a naphthalene ring linked thereto, in any combination, and a metal atom optionally complexed to the phthalocyanine macrocycle, wherein the mixed phthalocyanine and naphthalocyanine water-soluble dyes have a formula selected from Formulae (V) and (VI): wherein: R is any monovalent group; M is any metal of the Periodic Table or metal-free; and the number of OR groups depends up on the valency of the metal atom.