Self-assembling mixed porphyrin trimers – the use of diaxial Sn(IV)porphyrin phenolates as an organising precept

Tin(IV)porphyrin phenolates are the stable product of the equilibrium-based condensation reaction of phenols with tin(IV)porphyrin dihydroxide in an organic medium. Their formation is characterised by significant shifts (1–5 ppm) of the phenolic protons within the recorded 1H NMR spectra. To demonstrate the inherent simplicity of their formation and the flexibility in choice of phenolic ligand towards the design and fabrication of more elaborate assemblies and arrays we have constructed two different mixed porphyrin trimer families in which the porphyrin units differ in their orientation to the central porphyrin unit using Sn–O, Ru(III)–N and Zn(II)–N interactions. In one of these cases, 5 molecular components are self-assembled in one-pot to form a cofacially stacked mixed porphyrin trimer with high yield.