Titanyl phthalocyanine (TiOPc) has been used as a photo-oxidation agent and as a light-harvesting dye. However, it has also been used as an organic light-emitting diode. In addition, it has been used as a biodistribution detection agent. The phthalocyanines are excellent photosensitive molecules. They are particularly useful in imaging tumors.

Titanyl phthalocyanine is available in several different forms. These can be classified according to the type of solvent they were dissolved in. Different solvents can result in different polymorphs. By examining solid state properties, it can be determined whether the pigment is a Type I, X, or IV polymorph.

Titanyl phthalocyanine can be prepared from various precursor materials such as organometallics and titanium tetra(alkoxide). There are a number of documents describing preparation of the pigment. For example, Japanese 62-256867 describes a process for producing pure Type II (B) titanyl phthalocyanine. It requires a heating of the mixture for two and a half hours.

A similar process is described by Sanyo-Shikiso Japanese 63-20365/86. This document describes the x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) of alpha TiOPc. After dissolution in chlorobenzene, the residue is identified as a Type IV pigment.

The pigment is preferably present in a 5 percent to 100 percent by volume range. It can be used alone or in combination with other pigments. Other pigments include metal phthalocyanines, hydroxygallium phthalocyanines, and perylenes.

A variety of processes are outlined in a copending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 533,261. Some of the processes in the copending patent application are illustrated below.