Synthesis and ESR studies of multiphenyl porphyrins

The synthesis of tetra biphenyl and tetra triphenyl derivatives of porphyrin has been achieved with relative ease, and although the compounds show the expected low solubility in organic solvents, their tendency to form aggregates was observed. They are sufficiently dispersed to allow characterization by 1H, 13C, mass spectrometry, and determine their photophysical properties. The presence of 8 hydroxyl groups and 12 aromatic rings in the structure of the porphyrin showed to be able to stabilize the superoxide anion. This approach allows the possibility of using these compounds as building blocks and could be applicable to synthesizing other highly structurally uniform and well-defined porphyrin derivatives in good yields.