Oxidative Cyclodehydrogenation Reactions with Tetraarylporphyrins

Abstract

The extension of the aromatic π-system of porphyrins is a powerful method to alter their optoelectronic properties. Herein, aryl substituents were fused to porphyrin cores by Scholl oxidation reactions that selectively produced mono- and doubly-fused porphyrins in yields of up to 69 %. Several different aryl substituents attached to the porphyrin were investigated with respect to their reactivity under Scholl conditions. The fused products were fully characterized, i.e., by UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, which showed drastic changes in the electronic features. Insight into the solid-state behavior was obtained by X-ray crystallography. Our approach represents a novel option for the late-stage functionalization of porphyrin-based compounds.