Porphyrin 'flying saucers': solid state and solution structure of a novel pentameric array of axially-ligated canted porphyrins

The pentameric array of the canted dimeric adduct (Ru(TPP)(CO)(3'MPyP))9 was reported and a thorough NMR characterization done on (3'TPyP)-(Ru(TPP)(CO))4 along with a well-defined X-ray structure of the corresponding zinc derivative (Zn.3'TPyP)(Ru(TPP)-(CO))4. The pentameric arrays of canted porphyrins 1 and 1Zn represent new entries in the class of metal-mediated supramolecular assemblies of chromophores, allowing for comparisons with perpendicular and canted side-to-face arrays