Octaethylporphyrin and expanded porphyrin complexes containing coordinated BF2 groups

In contrast to octaethylporphyrin, which forms a very labile bis-BF2 complex, treatment of the hexa- and octapyrrolic expanded porphyrins amethyrin and [32]octaphyrin with BF3.OEt2 under standard reaction and work-up conditions gives rise to stable, non-labile mono- and bis-BF2 complexes; these were readily characterised by, inter alia, X-ray diffraction analyses.