Organometallic Chemistry within the Structured Environment Provided by the Macrocyclic Cores of Carbaporphyrins and Related Systems

The unique environment within the core of carbaporphyrinoid systems provides a platform to explore unusual organometallic chemistry. The ability of these structures to form stable organometallic derivatives was first demonstrated for N-confused porphyrins but many other carbaporphyrin-type systems were subsequently shown to exhibit similar or complementary properties. Metalation commonly occurs with catalytically active transition metal cations and the resulting derivatives exhibit widely different physical, chemical and spectroscopic properties and range from strongly aromatic to nonaromatic and antiaromatic species. Metalation may trigger unusual, highly selective, oxidation reactions. Alkyl group migration has been observed within the cavity of metalated carbaporphyrins, and in some cases ring contraction of the carbocyclic subunit takes place. Over the past thirty years, studies in this area have led to multiple synthetic routes to carbaporphyrinoid ligands and remarkable organometallic chemistry has been reported. An overview of this important area is presented.

Metal Complexes of Porphyrinoids Containing Nonpyrrolic Heterocycles

The replacement of one or more pyrrolic building block(s) of a porphyrin by a nonpyrrolic heterocycle leads to the formation of so-called pyrrole-modified porphyrins (PMPs), porphyrinoids of broad structural variability. The wide range of coordination environments (type, number, charge, and architecture of the donor atoms) that the pyrrole-modified frameworks provide to the central metal ions, the frequent presence of donor atoms at their periphery, and their often observed nonplanarity or conformational flexibility distinguish the complexes of the PMPs clearly from those of the traditional square-planar, dianionic, N₄-coordinating (hydro)porphyrins. Their different coordination properties suggest their utilization in areas beyond which regular metalloporphyrins are suitable. Following a general introduction to the synthetic methodologies available to generate pyrrole-modified porphyrins, their general structure, history, coordination chemistry, and optical properties, this Review highlights the chemical, electronic (optical), and structural differences of specific classes of metalloporphyrinoids containing nonpyrrolic heterocycles. The focus is on macrocycles with similar "tetrapyrrolic" architectures as porphyrins, thusly excluding the majority of expanded porphyrins. We highlight the relevance and application of these metal complexes in biological and technical fields as chemosensors, catalysts, photochemotherapeutics, or imaging agents. This Review provides an introduction to the field of metallo-PMPs as well as a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of the art of their synthesis, structures, and properties. It also aims to provide encouragement for the further study of these intriguing and structurally versatile metalloporphyrinoids.

Synthesis and Optical Properties of Thiazolo-Chlorin and Porphyrin Skeletons

Macrocyclic π-skeletons containing a thiazole moiety were synthesized via MacDonald [3 + 1]-type condensation. The construction of thiazolochlorin 1a and thiazoloporphyrin 1b depended on the conformation of the thiazole moieties, and their 18π-systems expanded along the molecular y and x axes, respectively. In particular, the structure of thiazolochlorin 1a was studied in detail using 2D nuclear magnetic resonance methods. The optical properties in solution were measured and discussed based on both experimental data and computational studies.

Synthesis and Characterization of N-Methylporphyrins, Heteroporphyrins, Carbaporphyrins, and Related Systems

MacDonald-type "3 + 1" condensations of an N-methyltripyrrane with a series of dialdehydes afforded a matched set of N-methylporphyrins, N-methylheteroporphyrins, N-methyloxybenziporphyrin, N-methyloxypyriporphyrin, N-methyltropiporphyrin, and a N-methylcarbaporphyrin aldehyde. meso-Unsubstituted heteroporphyrins have been little explored previously, and this strategy was also used to prepare N-unsubstituted 21-oxa-, 21-thia-, and 21-selenaporphyrins. In every case, the N-methylporphyrinoids exhibited weaker, bathochromically shifted UV-Vis absorptions compared to their core unsubstituted congeners. However, proton NMR spectroscopy demonstrated that these derivatives retained strong diamagnetic ring currents and the presence of the internal alkyl substituents had little effect on the global aromatic characteristics. Nevertheless, the UV-Vis spectra of N-methyl-oxybenzi- and N-methyl-oxypyriporphyrins were dramatically altered and gave greatly weakened absorptions. N-Methyl-oxybenzi- and N-methyltropiporphyrins reacted with palladium(II) acetate to give stable palladium(II) complexes, demonstrating that N-alkylation alters the metalation properties for these carbaporphyrinoids. The organometallic derivatives also retained strongly aromatic properties, and the proton NMR spectra showed the N-methyl resonances near -3 ppm. N-Methylcarbaporphyrin-2-carbaldehyde also gave a palladium(II) complex, but this gradually rearranged at higher temperatures to afford a C-methyl complex. The results demonstrate that core alkylation of porphyrinoids greatly alters the reactivity and spectroscopic properties for these systems.