TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (Claimed): Preparation of (I) comprises: (a) reacting (III) with a trihaloisoindolenine compound of formula (IV) to obtain trans-bis(2-R-benzazolo)porphyrazine compounds having a pair of substituents R at each second position of a pair of oppositely facing azolo groups; or reacting (III) with an optionally substituted boron-subpporphyrazine in an organic solvent at an elevated temperature to produce 2-R-benzazoloporphyrazine compounds having at least one substituent R at a second position of an azolo group; or reacting (VI) with substituted phthalonitrile compounds of formula (VII) in an alcohol in the presence of an alkyl amine or metal base, and optionally in the presence of a metal halide, to produce 2-R-benzazoloporphyrazine compounds; or tetramerizing (III) in a polar protic solvent at an elevated temperature to produce tetrakis (2-R-benzazolo)porphyrazine compounds having four substituents R at the second position of each azolo group; or reacting (VI) in an alcohol in the presence of an alkyl amine or metal base, and optionally in the presence of a metal halide, to produce tetrakis(2-R benzazolo)porphyrazine compound having four substituents R at the second position of each azolo group.X2-X4 = halo, where R2 is linked to R2 group on an additional compound (III) or (VI) by a linker group, and in formula (IV), (VI) and (VII), a pair of adjacent R2 forms annulated ring or annulated ring system.Preferred Process: The process (a) is carried out in the presence of an acid acceptor and hydroquinone compounds, which can donate hydrogen atoms. Preferred Components: (I) are: benzimidazoporphyrazines, benzoxazoporphyrazines, benzthiazoporphyrazines or benzselenazoporphyrazines, which are preferably 2R-5,6-benzimidazoporphyrazines, trans-bis(2R-5,6-benzimidazo)porphyrazines, tribenzo(2R-5,6-benzimidazo)porphyrazines, trans-dibenzo-bis(2R-5,6-benzimidazo)porphyrazines, tetrakis(2R-5,6-benzimidazo)porphyrazines, 2R-5,6-benzoxazoporphyrazines, trans-bis(2-R-5,6-benzoxazo)porphyrazines, tribenzo(2-R-5,6-benzoxazo)porphyrazines, trans-dibenzo-bis(2R-5,6-benzoxazo)porphyrazines, tetrakis(2R-5,6-benzoxazo)porphyrazines, 2R-5,6-benzthiazoporphyrazines, trans-bis(2-R-5,6-benzthiazo)porphyrazines, tribenzo(2R-5,6-benzthiazo)porphyrazines, trans-dibenzo-bis(2R-5,6-benzthiazo)porphyrazines, tetrakis(2R-5,6-benzthiazo)porphyrazines, 2R-5,6-benzselenazoporphyrazines, trans-bis(2R-5,6-benzselenazo)porphyrazines, tribenzo(2R-5,6-benzselenazo)porphyrazines, trans-dibenzo-bis(2R-5,6-benzselenazo)porphyrazines or tetrakis(2R-5,6-benzselenazo)porphyrazines; a trans-bis(2R-benzazolo)porphyrazine having a pair of substituents R at each second position of each of the pair of oppositely facing azolo groups; a 2R-benzazoloporphyrazine compound having a single substituent R at the second position of the azolo group; and a tetrakis(2R-benzazolo)porphyrazine compound having a substituent R at each second position of each of the four azolo groups. The substituent R comprises: a cross-coupling group comprising halo, alkenyl, alkynyl or amine cross-coupling groups, each of which is directly coupled to (I) or coupled to (I) by a linker group; or a surface attachment group comprising iodo, bromo, chloro, cyano, amino, alkenyl, alkynyl, hydroxy, mercapto, selenyl, telluro, S-acetylthio, selenium-acetylseleno or tellurium-acetyltelluro, each of which is directly coupled to (I) or coupled to (I) by a linker group. The trans-bis(2R-benzazolo)porphyrazine compounds have a structure of formula (IIa) or (IIb). The 2R-benzazoloporphyrazine compounds have a structure of formula (V). The tetrakis (2R-benzazolo)porphyrazine compounds have a structure of formula (VIIIa)-(VIIId).M = a metal or a pair of hydrogens. EXAMPLE - A reaction vial (5 ml) was charged with 2-phenyl-1-propyl-1H-benzoimidazole-5,6-dicarbonitrile (0.175 mu mole), and a magnetic stirring bar. The vial was then introduced into a glove box under an argon atmosphere and zinc chloride (44 mu mole) was added. The vial was capped and removed from the glove box, and pentanol (875 mu l) was added. The vial was capped and heated in a heating block set to 145 degrees C and then 1,8-diazabicycloundec-7-ene (175 mu mole) was added. Heating and stirring were continued for 18 hours. The vial was then removed from heat, and upon cooling to room temperature, the mixture was diluted with methanol (18 ml), and then centrifuged. The supernatant was removed and the pellet was resuspended in methanol and centrifuged again. This suspension-centrifugation procedure was repeated a third time. After removing the supernatant the third time, the pellet was redissolved in tetrahydrofuran (4 ml) and precipitated by addition of methanol (15 ml) and water (0.5 ml). The mixture was centrifuged, and upon removal of the supernatant, the pellet was dried in vacuo to give tetrakis(2-phenyl-1-propylbenzimidazo(5,6-b:5',6'-g:5'',6''-1:5''',6'''-q))porphyrazinato zinc(II) as a green solid (33 mg, 62%).