Synthesis of metal-free tetraazaisobacteriochlorin and via template condensation of phthalogenes

Abstract

The indium(III) complexes of (4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-substituted tetraazaisobacteriochlorin (TAiBC) and tetraazachlorin (TAC) were synthesized by direct template condensation of bis(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)fumaronitrile and tetramethylsuccinonitrile using indium(III) ion as a matrix. The corresponding metal-free tetraazaisobacteriochlorin and tetraazachlorin were obtained by demetallation of their indium(III) complexes. These metal-free complexes were characterized using elemental analysis, mass-spectrometry, 1H and [Formula: see text]C{1H}NMR spectroscopy, UV-vis and MCD spectroscopy as well as DFT and TD-DFT calculations. Due to the low symmetry of the molecules, the NMR data were complex, but could be assigned by collecting 1D- and 2D NMR data and comparing with the results of quantum chemical calculations. From the position of the pyrrole proton signal (6.78 ppm), it was found that the diatropic current of TAiBC is much weaker than that of TAC, and plausibly the weakest among porphyrinoids so far reported. Absorption and MCD spectra were reasonably interpreted using the calculated absorption spectra.