Manipulation of Vinyl Groups in Protoporphyrin IX: Introduction of Deuterium and Carbon-13 Labels for Spectroscopic Studies

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00360a015

Using commercially available hemin (5) as the starting material, routes for preparation of monovinyl deuterated (27), monovinyl carbon-13 enriched (41,42), and divinyl carbon-13 enriched (43,44) derivatives of protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester (1) are described.The monovinyl carbon-13 enriched porphyrins 41 and 42 were obtained by way of a previously reported Wittig reaction on Spirographis and iso-Spirographis porphyrin dimethyl esters 28 and 39, respectively.A new efficient partial synthesis of Spirographis porphyrin dimethyl ester (28) from deuteroporphyrin IX dimethyl ester (7) is reported, and in this the key formyl group at the 2 position is inserted by way of a Vilsmeier reaction employing a hindered amide.