A new synthetic approach to N-arylquinolino[2,3,4-at]porphyrins from β-arylaminoporphyrins

A new reaction leading to porphyrins bearing fused rings is described. Novel N-arylquinolino[2,3,4-at]porphyrins 2 were obtained by thermal oxidative cyclization of beta-arylaminoporphyrins 1. The starting beta-arylaminoporphyrins were prepared by two routes: (i) nucleophilic displacement of the nitro group from 2-nitro-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin by anilines and (ii) palladium-catalyzed amination of bromobenzene derivatives with (2-amino-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrinato)nickel(II). The N-arylquinolino[2,3,4-at]porphyrins show interesting UV-vis spectra with strong absorption bands in the red region.