The synthesis and spectroscopic properties of the following tetra- and octa-substituted aryloxy zinc(II) phthalocyanines are reported for the first time: 1,(4)-(tetrabenzyloxyphenoxyphthalocyaninato) zinc(II) (7); 2,(3)-(tetrabenzyloxyphenoxyphthalocyaninato) zinc(II) (8); 2,3-(octabenzyloxyphenoxyphthalocyaninato) zinc(II) (9). The new compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1 H NMR spectroscopy and electronic spectroscopy. Spectroscopic properties of these compounds were investigated in different solvents. Protonation of non-peripherally substituted complex 7 resulted in the splitting and red-shifting of the Q-band. The peripherally substituted derivatives 8 and 9, did not show the split in the Q-band. Fluorescence spectra of the derivatives show Stokes shifts typical of MPc complexes.