Reaction of Corroles with Sarcosine and Paraformaldehyde: A New Facet of Corrole Chemistry

Details on the unexpected formation of two new (dimethylamino)methyl corrole isomers from the reaction of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrolatogallium(III) with sarcosine and paraformaldehyde are presented. Semi-empirical calculations on possible mechanism pathways seem to indicate that the new compounds are probably formed through a Mannich-type reaction. The extension of the protocol to the free-base 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl)corrole afforded an unexpected new seven-membered ring corrole derivative, confirming the peculiar behavior of corroles towards known reactions when compared to the well-behaved porphyrin counterparts.

Corroles at work: a small macrocycle for great applications

Corrole chemistry has witnessed an impressive boost in studies in the last 20 years, thanks to the possibility of preparing corrole derivatives by simple synthetic procedures. The investigation of a large number of corroles has highlighted some peculiar characteristics of these macrocycles, having features different from those of the parent porphyrins. With this progress in the elucidation of corrole properties, attention has been focused on the potential for the exploitation of corrole derivatives in different important application fields. In some areas, the potential of corroles has been studied in certain detail, for example, the use of corrole metal complexes as electrocatalysts for energy conversion. In some other areas, the field is still in its infancy, such as in the exploitation of corroles in solar cells. Herein, we report an overview of the different applications of corroles, focusing on the studies reported in the last five years.

MCD and MCPL Characterization of Luminescent Si(IV) and P(V) Tritolylcorroles: The Role of Coordination Number

Two triarylcorrole complexes, (hydroxy)[5,10,15-tritolylcorrolato]silicon-(TTC)Si(OH) and (dihydroxy)[5,10,15-tritolylcorrolato]phosphorous-(TTC)P(OH) ₂ , have been investigated by magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and magnetic circularly polarized luminescence (MCPL). The spectroscopic investigations have been combined with explicit calculation of MCD response through time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) formalism. This has allowed us to better define the role of molecular orbitals in the transitions associated with the Soret and Q bands. Besides and more importantly, MCD has made it possible to follow the titration process of (TTC)Si(OH) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution with NaF and of (TTC)P(OH) ₂ in dichloromethane solution with alcohols in a complementary and, we dare say, more sensitive way with respect to absorption and fluorescence data. Finally, the MCPL spectra and the ancillary TD-DFT calculations have allowed us to characterize the excited state of (TTC)Si(OH).

Minding our P-block and Q-bands: paving inroads into main group corrole research to help instil broader potential

Main group chemistry is often considered less "dynamic" than transition metal (TM) chemistry because of predictable VSEPR-based central atom geometries, relatively slower redox switching and lack of electronic d-d transitions. However, we delineate what has been made possible with main group chemistry to give it its proper due and up-to-date treatment. The huge untapped potential regarding photophysical properties and functioning hereby spurred us to review a range of corrole reports addressing primarily photophysical trends, synthetic aspects, and important guidelines regarding substitution and inorganic principles. We also look at Ag and Au systems and also consider substitutions such as CF3, halogens, additives and also counterions. Throughout, as well as at the end of this review, we suggest various future directions; further future industrial catalytic and health science research is encouraged.