The nonlinear optical properties of two kinds of metallophthalocyanines with different central ions, 2,9,16,23tetra(pcarboxyphenyloxy) phthalocyanine cobalt (pHPcCo) and 2,9,16,23tetra(pcarboxyphenyloxy) phthalocyanine zinc (pHPcZn), are investigated mainly by UVVISNIR spectroscopy and picosecond Zscan technique with 532 nm and 1 064 nm excitation. The optical properties of these two compounds are discussed using the theories of лelectron conjugated structures and resonant/nonresonant enhancement, respectively. The obtained results demonstrate that the stronger ability of the central ion to attract electron, the larger absorption band shifts towards long wavelength. Both the two metallophthalocyanines have positive thirdorder nonlinear susceptibilities. Under the excitation of wavelength of 532 nm close to the resonance field, the thirdorder nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) of pHPcZn and pHpcCo is almost twoorder of magnitude larger than at 1 064 nm.With the stronger ability of the central ion to attract electron，the thirdorder nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) of pHPcZn is larger than pHpcCo, and shows a maximum value, 1.76×10－10 esu, under the excitation of wavelength of 532 nm.