Chemical transformation of 1,2-oxazinochlorin derivatives: synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of a novel porphyrin-porphyrin dimer with a condensed cyclohexane ring

Abstract

Base-assisted ring opening in 1,2-oxazinochlorin derivatives led selectively to the corresponding meso-cyanohydroxychlorin derivatives. The latter could then undergo acid-mediated carbocation formation followed by nucleophilic treatment to give different products, depending on the nature of the nucleophile reagent. Treatment of (E)- and/or (Z)-2-ethylidene-3-hydroxy-5-cyano-3,7,8,12,13,17,18-heptaethylchlorin nickel complex with a mixture of 5% trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane yielded a novel type porphyrin-porphyrin dimer with a condensed cyclohexane ring in an almost quantitative yield. The structure of this dimer was determined by single crystal X-ray analysis.