A phthalocyanine compound is provided which exhibits particularly high transmittance to a visible ray, offers a highly efficient cut of a near infrared ray, excels in the ability to effect selective absorption in a near infrared region, excels in the solubility in a solvent, excels in the compatibility with a resin, and excels in heat resistance, light resistance, and weatherability, a method for the production thereof, a near infrared absorbable dye using the same, and a heat ray shielding material, a plasma display grade filter and a near infrared absorbable material formed thereof. The phthalocyanine compound of this invention is represented by the following formula (1):
wherein Z 2 , Z 3 , Z 6 , Z 7 , Z 10 , Z 11 , Z 14 , and Z 15 independently stand for SR 1 , OR 2 , or a halogen atom, provided that at least one of them stands for SR 1 or OR 2 ; Z 1 , Z 4 , Z 5 , Z 8 , Z 9 , Z 12 , Z 13 , and Z 16 independently stand for NHR 3 , SR 1 , OR 2 , or a halogen atom, provided that at least one of them stands for NHR 3 and at least four of them stand for OR 2 ; a plurality of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , independently to each other, stand for a substituted or non-substituted phenyl group, a substituted or non-substituted aralkyl group, or a substituted or non-substituted alkyl group of 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and M stands for a nonmetal, a metal, a metal oxide, or a metal halide.