Topical Problems in the Biosynthesis of Red Blood Pigment

Tandem Ring-Contraction/Regioselective C-H Iodination Reaction of Pyridinium Salts

A facile route for direct access to the 4-iodopyrrole-2-carbaldehydes from pyridinium salts has been successfully developed, which undergoes cascade pyrrole-2-carbaldehydes construction/selective C4 position iodination process. Using Na₂S₂O₈ as an oxidant and readily available sodium iodide as an iodine source, a variety of 4-iodopyrrole-2-carbaldehydes were obtained in good to excellent yields. Atom- and step-economy, good functional group tolerance, high regioselectivity, as well as mild conditions entail this transformation an alternative strategy for enriching pyrroles library.

Conformationally Distinct [26]Heterorubyrin(1.1.0.1.1.0) Macrocycles and Their Bis-BODIPYs: Synthesis, Structure, and Optical Properties

Two conformationally different [26]rubyrin(1.1.0.1.1.0) macrocycles with varying heteroatoms (S/O) and their bis-BODIPYs are reported. The solid-state structure confirms O₂N₄ with fairly planar pyrrole-inverted conformation, whereas a thiophene-inverted structure for S₂N₄ is observed. Such conformational differences can also be clearly realized from their spectral and optical features. Upon BF₂ complexation, both rubyrins led to their respective bis-BODIPYs where S₂N₄-BOD displayed a perfectly planar conformation as evident from its X-ray structure.

Site-Selective N-Methylation of 5,15-Diazaporphyrins: Reactive Cationic Porphyrinoids that Provide Isoporphyrin Analogues

N-Alkylation significantly changes the electronic and optical properties, as well as the reactivity of nitrogen-containing π-conjugated molecules. In this study, it is found that treating 5,15-diazaporphyrins with methyl triflate selectively affords the corresponding N-methyl-5,15-diazaporphyrinium cations in good yield. N-Methylation substantially alters the electronic properties and reactivity of diazaporphyrins. The electron-accepting properties of the N-methyl-5,15-diazaporphyrinium cations are enhanced due to their lowered LUMO level. Stabilization of the LUMO energy enables regio- and stereoselective Diels-Alder reactions of the cationic diazaporphyrin with cyclopentadiene. N-Methylation also enhances the acidity of the inner NH protons, and thus, allows facile deprotonation to provide nitrogen-substituted isoporphyrin analogues with only one NH group in the central cavity.

Donor–acceptor type A2B2porphyrins: synthesis, energy transfer, computational and electrochemical studies

Synthesis, photophysical, electrochemical and DFT studies of donor–acceptor type A₂B₂porphyrins and their Zn(ii) and Pd(ii) complexes have been described.

Confusion, inversion, and creation—a new spring from porphyrin chemistry

This article mainly deals with the recent serendipity of novel porphyrin analogs such as N-confused porphyrin. The unique property of this ligand allows the formation of a variety of metal complexes. The important aspect of dynamic flipping (inversion), induced either by confusion or expansion of the macrocyclic core, that leads to the generation of new porphyrinoids, is emphasized. This review concludes with the recent progress on expanded porphyrins bearing confused, inverted, and fused pyrrole rings.

Figure-eight tetrathiaoctaphyrin and dihydrotetrathiaoctaphyrin

The acid-catalyzed condensation of pyrrole and 2,5-bis(p-tolylhydroxymethyl)thiophene yields two novel giant heteroporphyrins: 5,10,15,20,25,30, 35,40-octa(p-tolyl)-41,43,45,47-tetrathia[36]octaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1) (S4OP) and 5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40-octa(p-tolyl)-dihydro-41,43,45,47-tetrathia[38]octaphyrin(1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1) (S4OPH2). These tetrathiaoctaphyrins are interconvertible through dihydrogenation or dehydrogenation processes. Both compounds possess helical figure-eight geometry with two thiophene rings for S4OP or two pyrrole rings for S4OPH2 in the ribbon-crossing center as shown by NOESY experiments. The synthesis of the figure-eight tetrathiaoctaphyrin implies a prearrangement process to form helical M or P dithiatetrapyrromethanes. The P-P or M-M condensation leads to the figure-eight molecule in competition with an intramolecular ring closure. Two dithiaporphyrin-like pockets of S4OP or S4OPH2 behave as independent proton acceptors. The stepwise process yields symmetric or asymmetric cationic species that depends on whether an even or odd number of NH protons are added. Dihydrotetrathiaoctaphyrin contains 38 pi electrons in its conjugation pathway, which corresponds to the formal [4n + 2] Hückel type pi-electron formulation that is consistent with a modest diatropic ring current effect in their 1H NMR spectra. The formal 4n type pi-electron formulation for tetrathiaoctaphyrin accounts for the residual paratropic shifts. A figure-eight conveyor-belt-like movement of the whole macrocyclic ring without a racemization step is proposed to account for the dynamic properties of S4OP. The molecule shuttles between two degenerate configurations. A S4OP-S4OPH2 couple may be considered as a molecular element which, while preserving the overall figure-eight geometry, "chooses" pyrrole or thiophene rings as spacers as a function of the macrocyclic oxidation state.