Abstract: A study of the abilities of zinc phthalocyanines derivatives to photoreduce methyl viologen in the presence of EDTA under anaerobic conditions is reported.The reaction rate was increased by the addition of cationic surfactant and retarded with anionic and non-ionic surfactants.Photoactivity of zinc phthalocyanine strongly depends on the substituent on the phthalocyanine ring.Certain zinc derivatives are demonstrated to be more efficient photosensitizers.A remarkably high quantum yield on photore-duction of methyl viologen is one of the notable characteristics of the zinc phthalocyanine derivatives used in the reaction system.The quantum yield in the case of cation-ic micellar solution containing snbstituted zinc phthalocyanines was estimated to be 0.4 to 0.7 which is much higher than that of unsubstituted zine phthalocyanine.