Hexaethylsubporphyrins: β-alkyl analogues in the subporphyrin family

Two new subporphyrins were synthesized for the first time from a β-substituted pyrrole i.e. 3,4-diethylpyrrole via pyridine-tri-N-(3,4-diethylpyrrolyl)borane as building blocks. These β-hexaethylsubporphyrins are true contracted congeners of β-octaethylporphyrin (OEP). While the meso-triphenyl derivative of hexaethylsubporphyrin could be synthesized by following the reported method, the meso-free analogue could only be synthesized by condensation with trioxane, in the presence of catalytic methanesulfonic acid. These contracted macrocycles display interesting absorption, and emission behaviour including substituent dependent S2 fluorescence owing to the presence of flexible electron donating ethyl groups at their β-positions. The optical response and ultrafast S2 state dynamics of these systems suggest that it may be possible to tune the properties of the subporphyrin to develop efficient systems for solar energy capture and conversion processes.