We have successfully synthesized 2,3-di(3-thienyl)benzo[b]porphyrin based on retro Diels-Alder reaction of bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene(BCOD)-fused porphyrin and investigated its photoisomerization reaction. 1,2-Diarylethene skeletons are attractive due to the reversible photochemical ring-closure/opening reactions. 1 1,2-Bis(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)ethene derivatives 1 are well-known as a photochromic compound, which could be isomerized into cyclohexadienes 2 under irradiation by UV light with change of the color (Scheme 1). These photochromic diarylethenes have been investigated as photoswitchable luminescent materials 2 and conductive molecular wire. 3 In 2001, two papers on 1,2-di(3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene bearing porphyrin were reported as photoswitchable fluorophore and phosphorophore. 4 These photochromic molecules showed reversible photoisomerization between their closed and open forms by irradiation with UV and visible light. In these molecules, dithienylperfluorocyclopentene moiety undergoes photoisomerization reaction, while porphyrin moiety shows photoluminescent property. In closed form, dihydrobenzodithiophene unit is not conjugated to porphyrin ring directly. Herein we report synthesis of 2,3-di(3-thienyl)benzo[b]porphyrin based on retro Diels-Alder reaction of bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene(BCOD)-fused porphyrin precursor and its photoisomerization reaction. Scheme 1. Photo-induced ring-closure/opening reaction of 1,2-bis(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)ethene