Metal-catalyzed direct heteroarylation of C–H (meso) bonds in porphyrins: facile synthesis and photophysical properties of novel meso-heteroaromatic appended porphyrins

A simple and rapid microwave-assisted synthesis of heteroaromatic appended porphyrins using the Pd/Cu-catalyzed C–C coupling of meso-bromoporphyrins with various five- and six-membered heteroaromatic azoles has been successfully developed. The prepared heteroaromatic porphyrins 7a-lNi were found to exhibit slightly red-shifted (∼5–10 nm) Soret and Q bands. The developed reaction conditions are useful for the preparation of diversely substituted heteroaromatic porphyrins (A3B- and A2B2-types).