Synthesis of meso-fluorotetrabenzoporphyrins

Fluorination of quadruply bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene-fused porphyrin (CP) with 1-chloromethyl-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate) (Selectfluor) occurred at the meso positions to give a mixture of various meso-fluorinated CPs, which were separated and then quantitatively transformed to the corresponding meso-fluorinated tetrafluorobenzoporphyrins (BPs) at 240 °C for 30 min. X-ray analysis of the mono-fluoro BPs revealed that the BP skeleton remained flat, which is crucial for retaining aggregation behavior similar to that of the parent BP, thus producing highly crystalline BP derivatives.