Unprecedented non-aromatic, conformationally locked dibenzohexaphyrin analogs carrying multiple meso-exocyclic double bondsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthetic details of all the compounds, spectroscopic data and single crystal X-ray data. CCDC 957472 (4) and 957473 (7). See DOI: 10.1039/c3cc49380f

Acid-catalysed, '3+3' condensation of m -bispyrryl benzene derivatives with acetone afforded new non-aromatic macrocycles that can be converted to meso -alkylidenyl dibenzohexaphyrins carrying four exocyclic double bonds at meso -positions by DDQ oxidation. Acid-catalysed, '3+3' condensation of m -bispyrryl benzene derivatives with acetone afforded new non-aromatic macrocycles that can be converted to meso -alkylidenyl dibenzohexaphyrins carrying four exocyclic double bonds at meso -positions by DDQ oxidation.