Metallophthalocyanines bearing substituents are found to be efficient catalysts for nitrene transfer reactions. Under optimized reaction conditions, aziridination of alkenes and amidation of C-H bonds with PhI = NTs by using 3-trifluromethylphenyoxy-substituted phthalocyanine-iron complex led to the highest yields of 90% and 85% for 4-methylstyrene and 4-ethyltoluene, respectively. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.