Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.59, No.22, 16737-16746, 2020
Facile Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Anion Induced Electrosynthesis: An Efficient Method for Obtaining pi-Extended Porphyrins
Two closely related electrosynthetic approaches are applied for the preparation of novel pi-extended tetraphenylporphyrins from malononitrile-appended meso-beta di-fused porphyrins, represented as MTPP(MN)(2), where TPP = the dianion of tetraphenylporphyrin and MN = malononitrile. The first method involves application of a controlled reducing potential at a platinum electrode in CH2Cl2, while the second proceeds via cyanide anion induced electron transfer. Both methods produced the same decyanated, pi-extended di-fused porphyrins represented as MTPP(VCN)(2) where VCN = vinyl cyanide and M = H-2, Ni-II, Cu-II, or Zn-II in almost quantitative yields. The final isolated and purified porphyrin products are characterized by a split Soret band ranging from 411-497 nm and two broad intense Q bands. The new pi-extended porphyrins are easier to reduce than the parent MTPP or MTPP(MN)(2) compounds by 760-800 mV and 180-190 mV, respectively, and possess an electrochemical HOMO-LUMO gap ranging from 1.48 to 1.66 V. They are also characterized by two reversible one-electron ring-centered reductions in CH2Cl2 and three reversible one-electron ring-centered reductions in THF. A fourth irreversible reduction is seen in THF at more negative potentials and is assigned to one or two of the fused cyanobenzene rings of the macrocycle.