Synthesis and structural properties of porphyrin analogues of bacteriochlorophyll c

The self-assembling photosynthetic pigment bacteriochlorophyll c contains α-hydroxyethyl and keto groups on opposite sides of the macrocycle. A porphyrin has been synthesized that contains a 3-hydroxymethyl group and a 15-ethoxycarbonyl group (ZnP2-OH). X-ray analysis of ZnP2-OH and the related porphyrin containing 5-hydroxymethyl and 15-ethoxycarbonyl groups (ZnP1-OH) in each case revealed infinite coordination polymers wherein the zinc porphyrins are bound by Zn–O coordination and are cofacially offset in a staircase architecture.