Synthesis of novel texaphyrins containing lanthanides and boron

Texaphyrin macrocycles that contain gadolinium or lutetium, such as motexafin gadolinium and motexafin lutetium, are versatile anticancer therapeutics and diagnostics. Gadolinium texaphyrins substituted with carborane clusters could also find application in combined gadolinium and boron neutron capture therapy (GdB-NCT). The synthesis and characterization of novel texaphyrins containing gadolinium or lutetium in the pentaaza core and two carborane clusters bound to opposite pyrrol units of the macrocycle are described.