A novel stepwise degradation of porphyrins. Synthesis and structural characterization of meso-tetraphenylchlorophinato nickel(II) and meso-tetraphenylsecochlorinato nickel(II)

The X-ray crystal structure of the secochlorinato nickel, a metallochlorin-like pigment derived from meso-tetraphenylporphyrinato nickel by cleavage of one peripheral beta,beta'-double bond, is described. The synthesis and stepwise decarbonylation of porphyrins were performed for this purpose. Experimental results showed the growth of crystals that are suitable for an X-ray crystal structure characterization. The crystal structures of meso-tetraphenylchlorophinato nickel(II) and meso-tetraphenylsecochlorinato nickel(II) also revealed that both compounds exist in seriously ruffled conformations comparable to that of the nonplanar homoporphyrin.