Molecular complexes of porphyrins: effect on the rate of metalloporphyrin formation

Abstract

Rates of the reaction between CuCl₂ or ZnCl₂ and protoporphyrin IX dimethyl ester have been measured in NN-dimethylformamide (dmf) or in a benzene–dimethylformamide binary solvent in the presence of the nitroarene acceptors 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene and 2,4,7-trinitrofluoren-9-one. The results show that the acceptor–porphyrin molecular complex cannot react with the metal. A mechanism for the formation of metalloporphyrins is evaluated on the basis of these studies.