A general route for the synthesis of flexible porphyrin dimers

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(99)01375-1

The synthesis of two cyclic porphyrin dimers is reported. In each case the porphyrins are connected by a rigid butadiyne link, and a flexible alkyl chain tether. The length of this tether controls both the porphyrin-porphyrin distance, and porphyrin-porphyrin geometry. It is hoped that the extra flexibility designed within these molecules will enable them to act as general catalytic hosts for future study.