Self-assembly of metallopyridylporphyrin oligomers

Various poryhyrin oligomers assembled from free-base pyridylporphyrins and metallopyridylporphyrins are reviewed. In the oligomers, metal ions such as zinc, ruthenium, and osmium ions are incorporated into pyridylporphyrin units. These can act simultaneously as both axial or bridging ligands as well as functional groups. The oligomers can be divided into two groups: discrete metallopyridylporphyrin arrays and infinite networks. The latter is briefly summarized. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.