Nickel-Induced Skeletal Rearrangement of Free Base <i>trans</i>-Chlorins into Monofused Ni^II-Porphyrins: Synthesis, Structural, Spectral, and Electrochemical Redox Properties

Several ruffled β-to-ortho-phenyl monofused metalloporphyrins (MIIMFPs) with 1,3-indanedione functionality have been synthesized by oxidative fusion of free base trans-chlorins via nickel insertion followed by the skeletal rearrangement of macrocycle. The synthesized monofused porphyrins exhibited red-shifted electronic spectral features as compared to precursor, trans-chlorins or structurally related unfused porphyrins (mono/tri-β-substituted porphyrins) due to extended π-conjugation and nonplanar conformation of the macrocyclic core. Four of the synthesized porphyrins were structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis. Ring fusion resulted in twisted macrocyclic conformation, and the twist angles (the angle between 24-atom core and fused part) were found to be in the range of 20.97° to 27.97°. NiMFP­(IND)­Ph2 (3b) exhibited modestly ruffled conformation of the macrocyclic core which was further confirmed by higher Δ24 (0.362 Å) and ΔCβ (0.279 Å) values. Free base monofused porphyrins have shown upfield shifted (Δδ = 0.27–0.29 ppm) inner core NHs as compared to precursors (trans-chlorins), whereas much downfield shifted (Δδ = 0.9 ppm) as compared to H2TPP. Electron-rich Ni­(II) complexes, that is, NiMFP­(IND)­R2 (where R = H and Ph) (1b and 3b), exhibited metal centered oxidation (NiII/NiIII) due to extended π-conjugation of macrocyclic core and electron-donating β-substituents. Facile synthesis with good yields (60–90%), unexpected nickel-induced oxidative fusion, and selective conversion of trans-chlorins into monofused NiII-porphyrins are the significant features of the present work