Air-stable, electron-deficient Fe(II) catalytic porphyrins. Characterization and molecular structures of rare high spin Fe(II) hexacoordinated porphyrins.

The synthesis, characterization, and molecular structures of the first air-stable, hexacoordinated high spin Fe(II) porphyrins (1) with axial alcohols are reported (1 = Fe(II) meso-tetrakis(o-dichlorophenyl)-β-octanitroporphyrin). The structure of 1 with two axial waters is also presented. The very different conformations and metrics observed with the two types of ligands illustrate the acute interplay between ligands, conformations, and spin states in Fe porphyrins.