A facile synthetic route to meso-tetraaryl substituted N-5 sapphyrins and first single crystal X-ray analysis confirming the pyrrole inverted structure

Three meso-tetraaryl substituted N-5 sapphyrins were synthesized by a facile synthetic route from the corresponding open-chain pentapyrroles in high yield using acetic acid as the solvent and catalyst. Each compound was characterized by spectroscopic and electrochemical methods and the inverted pyrrole structure was confirmed in the solid state for the first time by single crystal X-ray analysis.