A new family of nonionic water-soluble lutetium bisphthalocyanines and a copper monophthalocyanine have been synthesized and characterized. Optical absorption determinations demonstrate aggregation processes in water. Optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction measurements have also been performed on the materials. The substituted copper complex yields a hexagonal columnar Liquid crystal above 62 degrees C; this mesophase can incorporate up to 16% (w/w) of triethylene glycol without significant disturbance of the structure, One of the substituted lutetium bisphthalocyanines affords a tetragonal columnar mesophase; the other bisphthalocyanine derivatives show only highly ordered crystalline like phases. Conductivity measurements have been carried out on thin films of the previous derivatives to determine the relative electronic and ionic conduction contributions.