The title Schiff base compound, N,N'-bis(pyrrol-2-ylmethylene)propane-1,2-diamine, C(13)H(16)N(4), forms an interesting supramolecular structure (a one-dimensional ladder-like polymer) in the solid state that is based on the existence of complementary intermolecular N-H.N=C hydrogen bonds between the monomer units. The polymer axis is collinear with the c axis of the orthorhombic unit cell. Quantum-chemical AM1 calculations clearly indicate that self-recognition in this system by hydrogen bonding is favoured on electrostatic grounds, since the partial atomic charge on the H atom of the pyrrole NH group (0.274 e) complements the partial atomic charge of the N atom of the C=N group (-0.239 e) on a neighbouring molecule.

The synthesis and characterisation of a novel bis(phosphane)-rhodium(III)-porphyrin, [Rh(TPP)(PEtPh 2 ) 2 ]SbF 6 (compound 1; TPP = dianion of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin) is described. The X-ray structure of the bis(dichloromethane) solvate of the complex has a moderately ruffled porphyrin core conformation, which is primarily determined by the relative orientations of the axial phosphane ligands and their steric interaction with the porphyrin phenyl rings. The mean Rh-N and Rh-P bond lengths for 1 are 2.036(5) and 2.401(3) Å, respectively. The mean absolute perpendicular displacements of the porphyrin α-, β-and meso-carbon atoms from the 24-atom porphyrin mean plane measure 0.15(3), 0.11 (8)

(Diphenyl phosphite-kappaO)(5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrinato-kappa(4)N)manganese(III) hexafluoroantimonate(V), [Mn(C(44)H(28)N(4))(C(12)H(11)O(3)P)](SbF(6)), is the first example of a structurally characterized diaryl or dialkyl phosphite complex of a metal-porphyrin ion. The axial phosphite ligand binds to the Mn(III) ion via the P=O O atom, affording a nominally five-coordinate complex with an Mn-O distance of 2.120 (4) A. The mean porphyrin Mn-N distance is 2.000 (4) A and the Mn(III) ion is displaced from the 24-atom porphyrin mean plane by 0.1548 (13) A towards the axial O atom. The porphyrin adopts a marked saddle conformation, with a small domed component. The saddle distortion of the porphyrin ligand reflects the tight back-to-back dimers formed in the lattice by pairs of neighboring cations. The 'non-covalent' dimers in the lattice exhibit an unusual (weak) eta(2)-type coordination of a pyrrole C=C bond from a neighboring molecule, with Mn(III).C distances of 3.697 (5) and 3.537 (5) A.