The electrochemical oxidation of phenol and its derivatives using poly-nickel hydroxy tetraphenoxypyrrolephthalocyanine (poly-Ni(OH)TPhPyPc) modified vitreous carbon electrodes are described. The films were formed by the electro-transformation of the electropolymerized pyrrole-substituted phenoxyphthalocyanine poly-NiTPhPyPc modified electrode in aqueous 0.1 M NaOH solution. The poly-Ni(OH)TPhPyPc films showed better stability and resistance to electrode fouling compared to poly-NiTPhPyPc and unmodified electrodes. The resistance to surface fouling and stability can be attributed to the structure of the ring substituent on the phthalocyanine macrocycle and to the particular O-Ni-O bridged architecture of the nickel phthalocyanine film. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.