Synthesis and characterization of new tetra-substituted porphyrins with exo-donor carboxylic groups as building blocks for supramolecular architectures : catalytic and structural studies of their metalated derivatives

We report herein the synthesis of the porphyrins 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxybiphenyl)- porphyrin (H2TCBP) and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxy-2,6-dimethylbiphenyl)porphyrin (H2TCDMBP) bearing diphenyl units on meso-positions, and of their cobalt and silver derivatives. The silver complexes of H2TCDMBP and of H2TCPP (H2TCPP = 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin) were investigated by X-ray crystallography and their supramolecular organization elucidated. Co(TCBP) was reacted with copper formate, yielding a polymeric compound that showed a catalytic activity in the benzylic amination of hydrocarbons using arylazide as aminating agent.