PRODUCTION OF METAL PHTHALOCYANINE AND/OR ITS DERIVATIVE

PURPOSE:To obtain a highly pure, high-performance crude phthalocyanine in high yields, by adding cyanuric acid and/or its derivative to the reaction mixture in producing a metal phthalocyanine by a phthalic acid-urea process or a phthalodinitrile process. CONSTITUTION:The synthetic reaction is performed by adding cyanuric acid and/or its derivative (e.g., sodium salt) to the reaction mixture in synthesizing a metal phthalocyanine and/or its derivative by heating phthalic anhydride and/or its derivative, urea and a metal compound in the presence of a catalyst in an organic solvent or in synthesizing a metal phthalocyanine and/or its derivative by heating phthalodinitrile and a metal or its compound in an organic solvent. It is preferable that the amount of cyanuric acid and/or its derivative added is 2-30wt.% (in terms of cyanuric acid) based on the amount of phthalic anhydride, its derivative or phthalodinitrile. This compound is added in such a manner that the whole is added at once at the start of the reaction and/or during the reaction or in portions.