Patent ID: 8206497

Claim:
Polyphenylated phthalocyanine water-soluble dyes with near-infrared absorption comprising four isoindole units linked together in a large ring to form a phthalocyanine macrocycle, with either four anthracenyl groups or four naphtha-cenyl groups each linked to an isoindole, and a metal atom optionally complexed to the phthalocyanine macrocycle, wherein the dyes have the general formula: wherein: M is metal-free or can be any metal of the Periodic Table; R=H, alkyl, SO 3 M′ or (C 2 H 4 O) m CH 3 ; M′=monovalent cations; m=1 to 1000; the number of OR groups depends upon the valency of the metal atom M; and the substituents, A to L, P, Q, S to W, AA, BB, CC, DD, EE, FF, GG, HH, II, JJ, KK, LL are independently monovalent groups and wherein the number of fused benzene rings is 4, the dyes having the structure of formulae (IV) or (V) below: