Synthesis, solid-state molecular structure and polymerization of a trans-substituted meso-porphyrin with thienyl pendant arms

A new trans-substituted meso-porphyrin with two thienyl arms at the meso-positions has been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structure of this porphyrin has been determined from X-ray single crystal diffraction data. This di-meso-substituted porphyrin shows a very planar conformation suggesting that the peripheral arms of the porphyrin do not affect the solid architecture. Some physico-chemical properties (NMR, UV–visible, electrochemistry and luminescence) of the dithienyl porphyrin are also discussed. Such a porphyrin might constitute a key building block in the synthesis of linear porphyrin arrays.