Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of meso-tetraarylporphyrins with fused phenanthrene rings

A series of meso-tetraaryl porphyrins with fused phenanthrene rings have been synthesized from boron trifluoride-catalyzed Lindsey condensation of phenanthro[9,10-c]pyrrole with various para-substituted arylaldehydes at low temperature. Their structures were characterized by UV–vis, 1H NMR, and mass spectroscopies. The UV–vis spectra of these compounds showed remarkable bathochromic shift of the Soret band to the wavelength around 577 nm and Q-bands into the near-infrared region.