Patent ID: 8808439

Claim:
A water-soluble phthalocyanine dye or naphthalocyanine dye with near-infrared absorption comprising at least one complexed unit, each unit comprising a phthalocyanine or a naphthalocyanine moiety and a metal atom complexed thereto, each metal atom having a valency of at least four, with two valencies complexed to the phthalocynanine ring or the naphthalocyanine ring, each unit joined to another through a fused ring, at least two valencies attached to water-soluble axial ligands, wherein the water-soluble axial ligands are X-Y groups, where X=single bond, O or NH; Y=COOZ, SO 3 Z, PO 3 Z, (CH 2 CH 2 O) m CH 3 , (CH 2 CH(CH 3 )O) m CH 3 , (CH 2 CH 2 S) m CH 3 or (CH 2 CH(CH 3 )S) m CH 3 ; m=1 to 500; and Z=H or monovalent metal ions.